Funding for programs that impact children and youth across Georgia took significant hits from the 2010 Georgia General Assembly, but the hits weren’t as bad as originally proposed. “Some really drastic cuts were proposed, but fortunately, some of the funding was restored,” said Carol Willis, executive director of the Rome Floyd County Commission of Children and Youth.

Floyd County Juvenile Judge Tim Pape joined Willis during a presentation to the Rome Kiwanis club Monday.

The school nutrition program may have taken one of the largest cuts, according to Willis. $12.9 million was sliced from the program, a 36 percent slash in state funds. $1.6 million was cut from the school nurses program, though Willis said that was less than the $2.3 million that had originally proposed for reduction.

Funding for the Communities in Schools program was cut by more than $242,000. The money was used to provide training and technical assistance for the effort to get communities more closely aligned with community schools.

During her presentation, Willis applauded action by the legislature to ease the zero tolerance rules for weapons other than guns found on public school property.