HB585: HB585 Insurance; motor vehicle policy; provide excluded driver

Under this bill, Georgia auto insurers could designate a named person as an 'excluded driver' on a motor vehicle insurance policy, meaning that person is not covered when driving the insured car. Insurers would have to tell the Department of Revenue whenever they add or remove an excluded driver, including the insurer's contact information, the vehicle's identification number, the car's make and year, the policy's effective date, and the excluded driver's name. If a police officer determines that a car's driver is an excluded driver without other valid insurance, the officer would issue a citation for driving without proof of insurance. Separately, a vehicle owner who knowingly lets an excluded driver operate the car, knowing that driver has no other insurance, would be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $200 to $1,000, up to 12 months in jail, or both. The changes would take effect July 1, 2027, and apply to policies issued, delivered, or renewed on or after that date.

• Allows insurers to name a specific person as an 'excluded driver' who is not covered under a motor vehicle insurance policy (O.C.G.A. § 33-34-5).
• Requires insurers to notify the Department of Revenue whenever someone becomes or stops being an excluded driver, including specific vehicle and policy details.
• Directs police officers to issue a no-insurance citation if an excluded driver is caught driving the insured car without other valid coverage.
• Creates a new misdemeanor penalty, a fine of $200 to $1,000, up to 12 months in jail, or both, for an owner who knowingly lets an excluded driver operate the vehicle without other insurance.
• Sets the effective date as July 1, 2027, applying to policies issued, delivered, or renewed on or after that date.

Georgia drivers and vehicle owners whose insurance policies name an excluded driver, auto insurance companies that must report exclusions, the Department of Revenue which receives the notices, and law enforcement officers who enforce the new citation and penalty rules.

Drivers named as excluded on a policy would have no coverage if they get behind the wheel of that car, and owners who knowingly let them drive anyway could face fines or jail time. The state would also gain a tracking system for who is and isn't covered on specific vehicles.

• Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 33-34-5 to define 'excluded driver' and 'motor vehicle insurance policy' and let insurers exclude a named person from coverage if they report it to the Department of Revenue.
• Section 2 creates new O.C.G.A. § 40-6-10.2, requiring insurers to notify the Department of Revenue with specific vehicle and policy details whenever a driver is excluded.
• Section 2 also requires officers to issue a no-insurance citation to an excluded driver who lacks other proof of insurance, under O.C.G.A. § 40-6-10.
• Section 2 makes it a misdemeanor, punishable by a $200 to $1,000 fine, up to 12 months imprisonment, or both, for an owner who knowingly lets an uninsured excluded driver operate the vehicle.
• Section 3 sets the effective date as July 1, 2027, applying to policies issued, delivered, or renewed on or after that date.

1. 2026-02-10House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
2. 2025-02-26House Second Readers (House)
3. 2025-02-24House First Readers (House)
4. 2025-02-21House Hopper (House)

• Jan Jones (R, HD-047)Primary sponsor
• Todd Jones (R, HD-025)
• Charles Martin (R, HD-049)
• Brad Thomas (R, HD-021)
• Houston Gaines (R, HD-120)

• car insurance
• motor vehicle law
• excluded drivers
• traffic citations
• insurance penalties