Georgia CommonsSenate · Passed · 2025-2026 Regular Session
SB 622: City of Tucker; annexation of certain territory into the boundaries of the city; provide
Last action May 12, 2026 · Effective Date
Senate Bill 622 would let the City of Tucker annex specific areas of DeKalb County, including parts near Briarlake Elementary and Midvale Road, if voters in those areas approve in a November 2026 referendum.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Enrolled version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
Tucker was incorporated by the Georgia General Assembly in 2015. This bill amends that founding law to add new territory to the city's boundaries. It identifies the annexed land using U.S. Census Bureau voting district (VTD) and block designations from the 2020 census, covering parts of the Briarlake Elem and Midvale Road voting districts in DeKalb County. The change would not happen automatically. DeKalb County's election superintendent must hold a special referendum on the areas proposed for annexation on the November 2026 general election date, asking residents there to vote yes or no on the annexation. If a majority vote yes, the annexation takes effect January 1, 2027. If a majority vote no, the bill does not take effect and is automatically repealed. The City of Tucker must pay for the election.
What the bill does
- Adds a new section to Tucker's 2015 city charter defining specific added territory using 2020 census VTD and block numbers in DeKalb County.
- Requires the DeKalb County election superintendent to hold a special referendum on the November 2026 election date for residents of the affected area.
- Sets the ballot language asking voters to approve or reject the annexation of the described land into Tucker.
- Makes the annexation effective January 1, 2027 only if a majority of votes cast are in favor.
- Automatically repeals the annexation law if a majority of votes cast are against it.
- Requires the City of Tucker to pay the costs of holding the referendum.
Who it affects
Residents and property owners in the specific DeKalb County areas described (near Briarlake Elem and Midvale Road voting districts) who would vote on whether to join Tucker; the City of Tucker government; and the DeKalb County election superintendent, who must run the referendum.
Why it matters
If approved by voters, residents in the annexed area would become part of the City of Tucker, potentially changing which local government provides services, sets zoning, and levies municipal taxes for them, starting January 1, 2027.
Key provisions
- Section 1 adds Section 1.02A to Tucker's charter, listing the specific census VTDs and blocks in DeKalb County to be annexed.
- Section 1 defines 'VTD' and block terms by reference to the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau report for Georgia.
- Section 2 requires a special referendum on the November 2026 election date, with results certified to the Secretary of State.
- Section 2 sets the effective date as January 1, 2027 if voters approve, or automatic repeal if voters reject the annexation.
- Section 2 assigns the cost of the election to the City of Tucker.
From the bill
“( ) YES Shall the Act which annexes certain land into the City of Tucker be ( ) NO approved?”
“If more than one-half of the votes cast on such question are for rejection of the annexation, this Act shall not become effective and shall be automatically repealed”
Discussed in meetings (5)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
House floor session, April 2, 2026 (legislative day 40, PM, part 1)
From 1:59:40 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (House Committee Favorably Reported)
Summary by Georgia Commons: The clerk listed SB 622 as a City of Tucker measure on the local calendar. No individual explanation or debate followed. The House passed it with the other local calendar measures in a combined vote of 110 to 63.
- Read aloud: Senate floor session, March 18, 2026 (legislative day 33), 0:28:32
- Read aloud: Senate floor session, March 20, 2026 (legislative day 35), 0:37:05
- Read aloud: House floor session, March 23, 2026 (legislative day 36, AM), 0:31:30
- Read aloud: House floor session, March 25, 2026 (legislative day 37, AM), 0:37:42
Status timeline
- Effective Date
- Act 704
- Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
- Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
- House Passed/Adopted (House)
- House Third Readers (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
Show full history (13 actions)
- House First Readers (House)
- Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
- Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- Senate Hopper (Senate)
Sponsors
- Kim Jackson (D, SD-41)
- Tonya Anderson (D, SD-43)
- Sally Harrell (D, SD-40)
- Elena Parent (D, SD-44)
- Karla Drenner (D, HD-85)
Votes
- Senate voteMarch 20, 2026
44 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 5 excused)
- House voteApril 2, 2026
110 yea, 63 nay (1 not voting, 2 excused)
Topics
- annexation
- City of Tucker
- DeKalb County
- municipal boundaries
- local referendum