School Nurses Lobby Legislators Over Funding

Nurses' lobbying group on the State Capitol staircase, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2009. (Photo: Dave Bender)

School nurses lobbied hard at the state capitol Tuesday, hoping to dissuade lawmakers from slashing their budget.

Governor Sonny Perdue proposes a $30 million cut for school nurses from the coming school year budget. But a spokesperson from his office says schools will have the flexibility to keep the program using local, and other state funding.

Legislative official speaking with nurses at the State Capitol, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2009. (Photo: Dave Bender)

Joanne Giel is a school nurse and the president of the Georgia Association of School Nurses. She says the future of school nurses in Georgia is in jeopardy, if it’ll be up to local school districts to fund the program:

“It may mean a significant loss to their school nurse program if not the elimination.”

Its unclear how many districts would be able to keep the program alive.

The cuts come as lawmakers look for ways to fill a $2.2 billion hole in the state’s budget.

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