SB 625: City of Decatur Public Facilities Authority; a referendum for issuing revenue bonds for certain projects requested by the City Schools of Decatur; require

The City of Decatur Public Facilities Authority currently can issue revenue bonds, a type of debt repaid from project revenues, to pay for projects without a public vote. This bill amends the 2017 state law that created the authority to add a new requirement: before the authority can approve revenue bonds costing $20 million or more for a project requested by the City Schools of Decatur, it must ask the City of Decatur to have its election superintendent put the question to voters in a referendum. The authority could only move forward with issuing the bonds if a majority of those voting in the referendum approve. The bill keeps the existing 40 year maximum bond maturity and other bond terms unchanged, and it repeals any conflicting laws.

• Requires a voter referendum before the authority can issue revenue bonds of $20 million or more for a City Schools of Decatur project.
• Directs the authority to ask the City of Decatur to have its election superintendent place the bond question before qualified voters.
• Blocks the authority from approving such bonds unless a majority of referendum voters approve.
• Leaves in place the existing 40 year cap on revenue bond maturity and the authority's general bond issuing powers.

The City of Decatur Public Facilities Authority, the City of Decatur government and its election superintendent, the City Schools of Decatur, and qualified voters within the school district who would gain a vote on large bond-funded projects.

Residents of the City Schools of Decatur would get a direct vote before large borrowing decisions of $20 million or more move forward, giving the public a formal check on major school facility financing that previously could proceed through the authority alone.

• Section 1 rewrites Section 6 of the 2017 Act creating the authority, keeping its general power to issue revenue bonds and the 40 year maturity limit.
• Section 1 adds subsection (b) requiring a referendum for any City Schools of Decatur project costing $20 million or greater before bonds can be issued.
• The authority must request that the City of Decatur direct its election superintendent to submit the bond question to qualified voters.
• The authority may not adopt a resolution issuing the bonds unless a majority of referendum voters approve the project.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-12Effective Date 2026-05-12
2. 2026-05-12Act 706
3. 2026-05-12Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
4. 2026-04-10Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
5. 2026-04-02House Passed/Adopted (House)
6. 2026-04-02House Third Readers (House)
7. 2026-04-02House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
8. 2026-03-25House Second Readers (House)

• Elena Parent (D, SD-044)Primary sponsor
• Mary Oliver (D, HD-084)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 20, 2026

   44 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 5 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #761

2. PassedHouse voteApril 2, 2026

   110 yea, 63 nay (1 not voting, 2 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #846

• Decatur schools
• public bonds
• local referendum
• school facilities financing