GBPI
Georgia Budget & Policy Institute
PROGRESS
The Georgia Budget and Policy Institute’s mission is to advance lasting solutions that expand economic opportunity and wellbeing for all Georgians.
VICTORY!
Georgia Legislature Passes Completion Grants We are excited to share with you that the Georgia Legislature passed HB 1435, which is, to date, Georgia’s most comprehensive need-based state-funded completion grant. This victory is thanks to supporters like you. You helped GBPI keep pressure on the legislature to advance this policy since it was first introduced as a People-Powered Prosperity priority more than four years ago. And we are pleased that leadership in both chambers finally listened to your persistent calls for action. With your support, we are closer to transforming access to higher education, especially for students who pay for college on their own. HB 1435 awards up to $2,500 total per eligible student, such as students who have completed 80 percent of their degree program but face financial hardship. Often, that last mile is hardest to finish, but your commitment to Georgia students has made all the difference. Your support provides hope that a better future lies ahead for Georgia college students–one where every student can afford quality higher education regardless of their income. We are honored to be celebrating this victory with you and hope you continue standing with us to create a more prosperous Georgia for all!
Ashley Young College Counselor at Drew Charter School
“I lead a grassroots initiative for need-based aid in Georgia, and GBPI has been an extraordinary partner in the effort to create and fund a need-based aid program. As a practitioner, I highly value GBPI’s accessible and engaging resources. GBPI is always our first source for data, and our team would not be able to do our jobs without them. We are so grateful for their dynamic team of experts and the resources they provide!”
BOARD Charles S. Johnson Chair
Susan E. Neugent Vice Chair
James McCoy Treasurer
Natosha Reid Rice
You Helped Advance
People-Powered Prosperity!
Secretary
Odessa Archibald Thomas Boller Carla Cartwright Robiaun Charles Ann Duffy Steven Fox Lois Frank Norelie Garcia Govind Kannan Glenda Minkin Yasmine Murray Maria del Rosario Palacios Robert Sills David Sjoquist Jim Stokes Teresa Tomlinson Sachin Varghese
GBPI
Expanding Access to Health Care As one of our most dedicated supporters, you know that expanding health care to Georgians is a key policy priority for GBPI. Georgia has consistently ranked near the bottom in terms of mental health coverage and care, and maternal mortality rates among women of color are near the highest in the country. Your support helped pass HB 1013, the Mental Health Parity Act, and will make a difference for Georgians who need to access critical care for mental health conditions and substance use disorders. Additionally, your support was key to help extend postpartum Medicaid coverage for new mothers from 6 months to 12 months. With your contribution, we will continue expanding access to health care in Georgia for all! “Lawmakers should continue to build on the success of this legislation to decrease stigma and remove barriers so people can get the help they need. A prosperous Georgia is one where everyone has access to quality and affordable health care,” says Senior Health Policy Analyst Leah Chan.
Reforming Georgia’s Criminal Legal System
Thanks to your support, our state has made significant strides in reforming its criminal legal system. You will recall GBPI’s report on how Georgia’s fines and fees exacerbate inequities in the state. This Legislative Session, you helped deliver on key policy recommendations from that report by supporting legislation that creates judicial discretion in the suspension of a driver’s licenses. Thanks to you, this huge policy victory will allow judges to evaluate why someone missed a court date for a minor offense and offer alternative solutions to those who miss court because of good faith reasons. GBPI’s Criminal Legal Systems Policy Analyst Ray Khalfani says: “Prior to SB 10, failing to appear to your court hearing led to the automatic suspension of your driver’s license which cut off a precious lifeline to accessing employment or handling personal or family needs for Georgians of lower income.”
Georgia Budget & Policy Institute
50 Hurt Plaza SE, Suite 720 Atlanta, GA 30303 (404) 420-1324 gbpi@gbpi.org
Your support inspires the kind of thoughtful and responsible policy that will improve the lives of Georgians across the state. Renew your gift today and join in the effort to fairly and fully fund the services we all rely on.
gbpi.org/donate
Letter from the New President
STAFF Staci Fox
President and CEO
GBPI Supporter, I am humbled and excited to join GBPI as the organization’s third president. Following in the footsteps of the leaders before me, I look forward to working alongside you to build a Georgia where the opportunity to prosper is within reach for every individual. You have watched GBPI grow over the past 18 years. You have helped the team grow, you have invested in advocacy and outreach, and you have relied on GBPI’s research to ask and answer important questions about how to strive for equity in Georgia. I am eager to continue that growth, to deepen relationships with supporters like you, to expand GBPI’s advocacy efforts, and to keep Georgians at the center of our question and answers. I am grateful for your support as I embark on this new adventure alongside the team you already know and trust. Thank you for investing, and for watching GBPI evolve and grow for nearly two decades. In this together,
Dominique Derbigny Sims Senior Vice President
Kevin Amaya
Development Associate
Leah Chan
Senior Health Policy Analyst
Ife Finch Floyd
Senior Economic Justice Policy Analyst
Lindsey Garland
Development Director
Nadia Hicks
Digital & Brand Manager
Caitlin Highland
Director of Strategic Communications
Anthony Hill
Communications Coordinator
Crystal Johnson
Director of Administration & Human Resources
Staci Fox (she/her)
Donor Spotlight Henry Kahn, MD (Retired) Volunteer for Physicians for a National Health Program
“Georgians have settled too long for unacceptable health outcomes and excessive death rates much higher than most states. A major reason is our flawed hodge-podge of inefficient, wasteful schemes for health insurance. GBPI helps me understand that Georgians should not fear using progressive taxation to fund a simplified insurance system. As an active member of Physicians for a National Health Program, I have supported GBPI for more than 15 years because they provide thoughtful analysis and explore responsible policies that could improve health outcomes for all.”
Danny Kanso
Senior Tax and Budget Policy Analyst; Legislative Policy Manager
Ray Khalfani
Worker Justice and Criminal Legal Systems Policy Analyst
Jennifer Lee
Senior Higher Education Policy Analyst
Tasnim Mosabber Outreach Manager
Crystal Muñoz
Immigration Policy Analyst
Stephen Owens
Senior K-12 Education Policy Analyst
Erin Robinson
Director of Outreach and Strategic Campaigns
David Schaefer Research Director
Jessica Woods Finance Director
Your Support Needed to Stop Policy Threats This Legislative Session, lawmakers passed a handful of bills that will erect barriers to opportunity and prosperity. Georgians in every community who want to live healthier lives and raise thriving families need you on their side to stand up and speak out against the harmful consequences of these policies. Just like you helped to pass important people-centered policies, your renewed support will mitigate threats to your neighbors across the state. Here is where we need your help!
HB 1437
Known as the “flat tax.” This bill skews the tax code so that the wealthy get a massive tax cut, and when fully implemented this legislation would cost Georgians over $2 billion dollars. That money will be taken from critical programs Georgians rely on.
HB 517
A private school voucher that threatens public schools. This legislation comes at a time when Georgia has only fully funded public schools for two of the past 21 years. This bill siphons an additional $20 million in public funding to private schools.
SB 331
Under this bill, workers with low wages will be forced to keep unlivable wage standards, inequitable overtime pay and are less likely to be offered protections like predictive scheduling, where a worker knows in advance when they may be called to work.
Too many Georgians face daily hardships when it comes to putting food on their table or a roof over their heads. Our elected officials must focus intently on removing obstacles that keep our fellow Georgians from reaching their full potential.
GBPI
Georgia Budget & Policy Institute
Invest in GBPI Your investment now is a response to these emerging crises. GBPI remains dedicated to delivering on our mission, but we need your support. All of us at GBPI are grateful for the ways that you have stood shoulder to shoulder with us over the years and hope you will continue to do so in the battles to come.
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