Lt. Governor Casey Cagle released the following statement regarding the Senate’s passage of the conference committee budget:

“Today the House and Senate came together to produce a fiscally prudent budget that is not only balanced according to the reduced revenue estimate, but also meets the needs of our state.

“In addition to providing a well-deserved pay increase for teachers, we have dedicated funding to restore the austerity reduction and have given more resources to HOPE scholarship recipients. Our transportation infrastructure will improve through the congestion relief fund and a state transportation infrastructure bank. This budget ensures that the vital areas of our government, such as social services and healthcare, receive the funding necessary to continue providing the services our citizens expect.