HB199: HB199 Courts; protection of personally identifiable information of judges and their spouses; modify provisions

Georgia law already lets judges and justices, and their spouses, ask that their personal information be kept out of public records. Current law had the Administrative Office of the Courts keep a database of protected people and their phone numbers and addresses. This bill eliminates that database requirement and instead has the Administrative Office of the Courts create a standard statewide form that judges, justices, and spouses can use to request that their personal phone number, home address, or property and tax records be withheld from public disclosure. The bill also expands what counts as personally identifiable information and requires any state or local government agency that receives a completed form to restrict the listed information from public records within 30 days. It sets up a notice system so agencies learn when someone becomes or stops being a judge, and it lets a protected person sue a government employee for failing to comply, though only for a court order requiring compliance, not money damages.

• Removes the requirement that the Administrative Office of the Courts build and maintain a statewide database of judges', justices', and spouses' personal information.
• Creates a standard statewide form for judges, justices, and their spouses to request that their personal information be withheld from public records.
• Requires state and local government agencies to restrict a protected person's personal information from public disclosure within 30 days of a valid request.
• Expands the definition of protected personal information to include home address, personal phone number, and property or tax records, not just information already submitted to a database.
• Requires the Administrative Office of the Courts to notify agencies within 30 days when someone becomes a judge or justice, and again when they leave office, so protections can start or end.
• Allows a protected person to sue a government officer or employee individually for failing to restrict their information, limited to a court order rather than money damages.

Current and former elected or appointed judges and justices in Georgia, federal judges and justices, and their spouses. It also affects state agencies, county and municipal governments, court clerks, boards of elections, tax assessors, boards of ethics, and the Administrative Office of the Courts, which must manage the new request process.

Judges and their spouses would get a clearer, faster path to keep their home addresses, phone numbers, and property records out of public view, which can matter for personal safety. Government offices would face new 30 day deadlines to act on these requests, and could face lawsuits if they fail to comply.

• Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 15-5-110's definitions, expanding 'personally identifiable information' to cover phone numbers, home addresses, and property or tax records, and updating who counts as a 'protected person.'
• O.C.G.A. § 15-5-111 replaces the Administrative Office of the Courts' database duty with a duty to develop a standard request form and identify which government entities hold protected persons' information.
• O.C.G.A. § 15-5-112(a) requires agencies to restrict personally identifiable information that identifies someone as a judge or spouse, including records held by the Secretary of State and the State Ethics Commission.
• O.C.G.A. § 15-5-112(b) requires agencies to restrict other records containing a protected person's information within 30 days of receiving a written request on the official form.
• O.C.G.A. § 15-5-112(c) sets conditions under which an agency must restrict information after receiving notice from the Administrative Office of the Courts, unless the protected person consented to disclosure or has left judicial office.
• O.C.G.A. § 15-5-112(d) allows a protected person to sue a noncompliant government officer or employee individually, but limits any relief to injunctive relief (a court order to comply), not damages.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-05-14Effective Date 2025-07-01
2. 2025-05-14Act 308
3. 2025-05-14House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-10House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-03-31House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub (House)
6. 2025-03-31Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
7. 2025-03-31Senate Third Read (Senate)
8. 2025-03-13Senate Read Second Time (Senate)

• Trey Kelley (R, HD-016)Primary sponsor
• Matt Reeves (R, HD-099)
• Joseph Gullett (R, HD-019)
• Stan Gunter (R, HD-008)
• Samuel Park (D, HD-107)
• Tyler Smith (R, HD-018)
• Blake Tillery (R, SD-019)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 12, 2025

   165 yea, 0 nay (7 not voting, 8 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #29

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2025

   54 yea, 0 nay (0 not voting, 2 absent)

   Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #346

3. PassedHouse voteMarch 31, 2025

   164 yea, 0 nay (6 not voting, 10 absent)

   Agree To Senate Substitute: House Vote #358

• judicial safety
• personally identifiable information
• public records law
• court administration
• government transparency