ATLANTA (AP) -- Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal says he has asked his agency heads to come up with contingency plans if federal leaders can't reach agreement to avoid the so-called "fiscal cliff."

Deal tells The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he's not confident an agreement will be reached.

Deal's spokesman Brian Robinson says the state expects to contribute a portion of the lost federal dollars if agreement is not reached in Washington. If no deal is reached, Robinson said the state is planning to spend $24 million to "strategically target essential programs, such as those that represent a life or safety need for Georgians."

The Journal-Constitution reports that going over the "fiscal cliff" would mean less academic support for at-risk schoolchildren and fewer meals for low-income seniors, among other repercussions for cuts in most federal programs.