ATLANTA — House budget writers propose boosting public health spending while restoring funds to education in their amended Fiscal Year 2021 budget.

After harsh criticism that Gov. Brian Kemp’s amended budget did not include more dollars for the agency leading the state’s COVID-19 response, House members opted to send more money its way.

The House appropriations committee unanimously approved a $26.6 billion spending plan Wednesday. Lawmakers want to quickly approve the mid-year budget — which runs through June 30 — in case the coronavirus forces legislators to suspend the General Assembly. If the legislature were to halt without passing a budget, state agencies would be left without funds.

House Appropriations Chairman Terry England, R-Auburn, cautioned lawmakers throughout the “harried” budget process that the situation could be grave if decisions aren’t made quickly.

“We are on an expedited pace on trying to get the amended budget done,” England said Wednesday. “So that if COVID necessitates we take a break at some point, our state agencies and in all of those that rely on state funding will know what their budget is for the remainder of the year.”

House Speaker David Ralston told reporters after the vote that the budget process was “full steam ahead” given the uncertainty of the pandemic.

“Last year we had to suspend the session and I think we resolved early on that we needed to get the amended budget done so that if we have that situation again the state can function at least through the end of the fiscal year,” he said.

The measure went before the full chamber Thursday and passed in a 14-20 vote.

Kemp’s office said its decision not to include additional dollars for the Georgia Department of Public Health was based on the extensive amount of federal funds pouring into the state health agency.

The Republican-controlled House, however, has earmarked $18 million to replace the state’s outdated Georgia Immunization Registry that has collapsed under the wave of vaccination data.

“They have had a tremendous amount of money come to them on the federal level right now,” England told lawmakers. “I think they’re sitting somewhere at about a billion dollars in federal money that they will be receiving in the next week or so that’ll be going to the COVID response. But there are some things that we can do.”

The House proposed adding funds for new top positions in the department to support Commissioner Dr. Kathleen Toomey and agency staff. About $286,000 is tagged for hiring a chief medical officer, deputy commissioner of public head and chief data officer to aid the agency throughout the pandemic and in the future.

More than $15.4 million is also dedicated for the department’s AIDS Drug Assistance Program, which provides HIV/AIDS medication to low-income and uninsured Georgians.

Before the vote, England told lawmakers Thursday the Senate will explore additional opportunities to support public health during the budget process.

Kemp’s proposal included a significant increase in education spending, after lawmakers slashed dollars to the state’s funding formula during 10% cuts last session. House lawmakers backed the Republican’s decision to restore most of the funds.

More than $567 million has been restored to the Department of Education budget — a 60% restoration to the cuts made last year — including an additional $38,600 to purchase 500 new school buses to be distributed statewide.

Currently, 40% of the state’s 15,000 buses have exceeded their life cycle, England said.

“When we look at this budget, between K-12 education spending, higher education’s spending and technical college education spending, we spend well over 50% of the state’s budget on education,” England said. “It’s our priority.”

Gary Black, commissioner of the Department of Agriculture, asked House lawmakers to include funds for salary increases for food inspector salaries and middle management, which were not included in the chamber’s budget proposal. Legislators added funds to provide for the purchase of 32 new field vehicles and more than $450,000 to start the hemp program.

After lawmakers expressed concern in the deficit of medical examiners across Georgia, they proposed dedicating more than $427,000 toward recruitment and retention for the position within the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.