The House Education Committee voted 8–2 on May 20, 2025 to report Senate Bill 25 favorably, a constitutional amendment that would allow the city of St. George in East Baton Rouge Parish to operate its own public school system if voters approve statewide and parishwide ballot measures.

Senate Bill 25, introduced by Chairman Senator Richie Edmonds, would place a constitutional amendment on the ballot to grant St. George the same authority as parishes to operate a school system. "This only has to do with allowing the constitutional amendment to be on the ballot," Edmonds told the committee, explaining the bill does not set district policies or content. Edmonds and other supporters said the amendment must pass both statewide and parishwide and would be placed on the April 2026 ballot if advanced.

Dustin Yates, listed in testimony as the mayor of St. George, urged favorable passage, saying the city had followed legal processes over a 12‑year effort to incorporate and form a school system. "We have this bill before you today to begin the process of creating our own school system for our community," Yates said.

Opponents and local school officials testified that financial and equity concerns remain unresolved. Darius Lanus, a former East Baton Rouge Parish school board president, said in testimony, "Saint George cannot afford to create a school district," and raised allegations about how initial boundaries were drawn. Lanus further claimed fiscal effects across the parish, saying the move would remove "nearly $140,000,000 from the entire parish" and argued the earlier incorporation and ballot processes were improper. The current president of the East Baton Rouge Parish School System said the system did not oppose the district’s formation but asked that St. George assume a portion of legacy costs; she said East Baton Rouge faces about $400,000,000 in legacy liabilities and asked that St. George take roughly 16% (about $60,000,000) to share in those costs.

Committee members repeatedly distinguished SB 25 — the constitutional amendment to put the formation question before voters — from SB 234, the companion bill that would create the St. George Community School Board and define operational, fiscal and policy matters. Chairman Edmonds asked that SB 234 be deferred for further work; the committee deferred SB 234 to a later meeting so sponsors can continue negotiations over legacy costs, retirement liabilities and other implementation details.

Representative Brett Freiberg and other members said they were not opposed to letting voters decide the question posed by SB 25 but acknowledged outstanding concerns that the companion bill must address. Representative Young asked specifically whether there was a commitment from St. George to negotiate with East Baton Rouge officials; Edmonds said he was "fully prepared to have that discussion on SB 234," and that many stakeholder meetings — including with retirement system representatives and district officials — had already occurred.

On the procedural vote for SB 25, Representative Brett Freiberg moved to report the bill favorably; roll call recorded eight yeas and two nays. The committee’s favorable report moves the constitutional amendment forward; sponsors said SB 234 will be the vehicle for policy language and the financial negotiations the opposition requested.

Key unresolved issues include how legacy pension and other liabilities will be allocated, whether St. George will assume a share of those liabilities, and how student assignment and interdistrict transfers will be administered. Sponsors said those subjects are for SB 234 and subsequent drafting with affected stakeholders.