Rep. Doreen Carter Urges Governor Kemp to Review Senate Bill 369 Before Signing into Law

ATLANTA - State Representative Doreen Carter (D-Lithonia), vice chair of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus, urges Governor Brian Kemp to conduct a thorough and deliberate review of Senate Bill 369 before taking executive action.

"While innovation in education is important, we must ensure that any changes to our system are implemented with careful consideration and full transparency," said Rep. Carter. "SB 369 is not a narrow policy update-it is sweeping legislation with long-term implications for how schools are governed, how resources are allocated and how students are served."

Senate Bill 369, which received final passage by the Georgia General Assembly, is a comprehensive omnibus education bill that includes updates to charter school governance, expansion pathways and participation policies affecting local school systems across the state. Following the adjournment of the 2026 legislative session, the governor has 40 days to review legislation and make his ultimate decision on whether to sign or veto legislation. Rep. Carter emphasizes that this review period is critical given the scope of the bill.

"There are concerns that certain provisions in SB 369 could enable the expansion of charter school systems under centralized governance structures, potentially reducing local oversight and altering the balance between charter and traditional public schools," added Rep. Carter. "Neighborhood public schools-governed by locally elected boards-remain the foundation of Georgia's education system and must not be weakened by unintended policy consequences. Local accountability matters. Our communities deserve a voice in how their schools are operated. Any shift toward centralized governance or rapid expansion must be examined closely to ensure it does not come at the expense of equity, transparency or the long-term stability of our public schools."

Rep. Carter urges the governor to carefully evaluate how SB 369 may impact local boards of education and community oversight, resource allocation for traditional public schools, access to extracurricular programs and shared services and long-term educational equity across Georgia.

"Georgia's students and families deserve a thoughtful, measured approach," said Rep. Carter. "I respectfully urge Governor Kemp to take the time necessary to fully assess the implications of this legislation before signing it into law."

The full text of SB 369 may be found here.

Representative Doreen Carter represents the citizens of District 93, which includes portions of DeKalb, Gwinnett and Rockdale counties. She was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2015 and currently serves on the Agriculture & Consumer Affairs, Code Revision, Economic Development & Tourism, Education and Small Business Development committees.

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