HB107: HB107 Professions and businesses; issuance of digitally verifiable licenses for certain military spouses and transitioning military service members; provide

25 LC 55 0392 House Bill 107 By: Representatives Ballard of the 147th, Bonner of the 73rd, Clark of the 100th, Jones of the 25th, and O’Steen of the 169th A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Chapter 1 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to1 general provisions of professions and businesses, so as to provide for the issuance of digitally2 verifiable licenses for spouses of military service members, spouses of transitioning service3 members, and transitioning military service members; to provide definitions; to provide for4 the adoption of rules and regulations; to provide for the issuance of physical licenses upon5 request; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:7 SECTION 1.8 Chapter 1 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated , relating to general9 provisions of professions and businesses, is amended by adding a new Code section to read10 as follows:11 "43-1-37.12 (a) As used in this Code section, the term:13 (1) 'Digitally verifiable license' means a license that:14 (A) Can be accessed electronically;15 (B) Has a digital signature;16 H. B. 107 - 1 - 25 LC 55 0392 (C) Can be mathematically identified; and17 (D) Is equivalent to the possession of a physical license.18 (2) 'License' shall have the same meaning as provided in Code Section 43-1-34.19 (3) 'Other board' shall have the same meaning as provided in Code Section 43-1-34.20 (4) 'Service member' shall have the same meaning as provided in Code Section 43-1-34.21 (5) 'State' shall have the same meaning as provided in Code Section 43-1-35.22 (6) 'Transitioning service member' shall have the same meaning as provided in Code23 Section 43-1-34.24 (b) No later than July 1, 2026, each professional licensing bo ard and other board shall25 adopt rules and regulations implementing a process by which spouses of service members,26 spouses of transitioning service members, and transitioning service members may qualify27 for digitally verifiable licenses for each profession, business , or trade for which licenses28 are issued. Such digitally verifiable licenses shall be issued for all types of licenses issued29 by such professional licensing board or other board, including, but not limited to,30 temporary licenses, licenses by endorsement, expedited licenses, or a combination thereof. 31 Such rules and regulations shall include a process by which a p hysical license shall be32 issued upon request in addition to or in the place of a digitally verifiable license.33 (c) Any professional licensing board or other board created after June 30, 2026, shall adopt34 within one year of its creation the rules and regulations required by subsection (b) of this35 Code section."36 SECTION 2.37 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.38 H. B. 107 - 2 -