City of Decatur Legislators Release Statement on Passage of Senate Bill 625

ATLANTA (April 7, 2026) - Last week, Senate Bill 625 passed both chambers and now awaits the governor's signature. The bill amends the city of Decatur's Public Facilities Authority (PFA) to require voter approval for any city of Decatur bonding project requested by the City Schools of Decatur (CSD) exceeding $20 million.

Members of the Decatur legislative delegation, Sen. Elena Parent (D-Atlanta), Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver (D-Decatur), and Rep. Omari Crawford (D-Decatur) introduced and supported SB 625 and issued the following statement:

"We appreciate everyone's engagement on this important issue. The controversy surrounding the City Schools of Decatur's Early Childhood Learning Center (ECLC) has been difficult for the community. This legislation ensures the matter can be resolved through a voter referendum. We commend the General Assembly for its passage and look forward to working with Governor Kemp to secure his signature."

The Decatur PFA was established by the General Assembly in 2017 to facilitate the City's purchase of the United Methodist Children's Home property, now known as Legacy Park.

In a March 15 letter to the CSD, the Decatur delegation expressed strong support for expanding early childhood education while raising concerns about the transparency of the decision-making process related to the proposed ECLC project. Specifically, the delegation cited a lack of meaningful community input regarding the project's cost, scope, and location. The delegation asked CSD to submit a revised proposal backed by a voter referendum. On March 27, the CSD Board declined in a 3-2 vote. In response, the delegation advanced SB 625.

The delegation urges City Schools of Decatur to reset the process and engage fully with community stakeholders, including the city of Decatur, to ensure transparency, reestablish trust in the CSD Board and its decision-making process, and move forward in a way that reflects the participation and support of the entire community.

You can find more information about SB 625 here.

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Sen. Elena Parent serves as Minority Caucus Chair. She represents the 44^th Senate District, which includes a portion of Clayton and DeKalb counties. She may be reached by phone at (404) 656-5109 or by email at [email protected].

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