---
title: HB 874. Georgia Taxpayer Privacy Protection Act; enact
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb874
cite_as: HB 874, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb874
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb874.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb874/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71841
date: 2026-03-19
status: engrossed
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 596
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb874.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 874
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-03-06
last_action: Senate Read Second Time
sponsors:
- David Huddleston
- Johnny Chastain
- Tim Fleming
- Todd Jones
- Derrick McCollum
- Timothy Bearden
text_version: Comm Sub
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB874/2025
upstream_id: 2016637
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- taxpayer privacy
- property tax records
- open records law
- consumer protection
- data privacy
---
# HB 874. Georgia Taxpayer Privacy Protection Act; enact
## Text
House Bill 874 (RULES COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE)
By: Representatives Huddleston of the 72nd, Chastain of the 7th, Fleming of the 114th, Jones
of the 25th, and McCollum of the 30th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 1 of Chapter 5 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to general provisions relative to ad valorem taxation of property, so as to prohibit the
disclosure of taxpayer telephone numbers in property tax records sold, transferred, or shared
with third parties; to provide for violations; to provide for complaints; to provide for policies
and procedures; to provide for a short title; to provide for legislative findings and purposes;
to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Georgia Taxpayer Privacy Protection Act."
SECTION 2.
(a) The General Assembly finds that:
(1) Some property tax records are public records under Georgia open records laws,
Article 4 of Chapter 18 of Title 50, ensuring transparency in government operations;
(2) However, taxpayer telephone numbers are not essential for public transparency and
are frequently misused for commercial solicitation, fraud, and identity theft;
(3) The inclusion of taxpayer telephone numbers in bulk data sales by tax authorities
compromises individual privacy and serves no legitimate public interest; and
(4) The state has a compelling interest in protecting taxpayer privacy while maintaining
public access to necessary tax records.
(b) The purpose of this Act is to:
(1) Prohibit the inclusion of taxpayer telephone numbers in tax records sold, transferred,
or shared with third parties; and
(2) Establish penalties for violations to ensure compliance.
SECTION 3.
Article 1 of Chapter 5 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
general provisions relative to ad valorem taxation of property, is amended by adding a new
Code section to read as follows:
"48-5-35.
(a)(1) No person shall include taxpayer telephone numbers in any tax roll, assessment
record, or other publicly accessible property tax document.
(2) The provisions of this Code section shall apply to both physical and electronic
records, including, but not limited to, records made available through data sales, open
records requests, and third-party agreements.
(b) The provisions of this Code section shall not apply to:
(1) Internal use by state and local government agencies for tax collection or enforcement;
(2) Court ordered disclosures; or
(3) Any specific use for which the taxpayer provided written consent.
(c) Any person that recklessly or knowingly discloses a taxpayer's telephone number in
a public tax record shall upon conviction be subject to a civil penalty not to exceed
$5,000.00.
(d) Any violation of this article shall constitute an unfair or deceptive act or practice under
Part 2 of Article 15 of Chapter 1 of Title 10, the 'Fair Business Practices Act,' as amended.
(e) The commissioner and county tax commissioners shall adopt any policies and
procedures necessary to implement the provisions of this Code section."
SECTION 4.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
House Bill 874 would bar Georgia tax officials from including taxpayers' phone numbers in property tax rolls, assessment records, or any data sold, shared, or disclosed to third parties.
### Plain-language summary
Georgia property tax records are largely public under the state's open records law, but this bill targets one specific piece of information in those records: taxpayers' telephone numbers. The bill finds that phone numbers included in bulk property tax data sales serve no real public transparency purpose and can be misused for solicitation, fraud, and identity theft.
The bill adds a new section to Georgia's tax code barring anyone from including a taxpayer's phone number in a tax roll, assessment record, or other publicly accessible property tax document, whether physical or electronic, including data sold to third parties or released through open records requests. Exceptions apply for internal government use in tax collection, court-ordered disclosures, and cases where the taxpayer gave written consent. Violators face a civil penalty up to $5,000 and the violation also counts as an unfair or deceptive practice under Georgia's Fair Business Practices Act. The state tax commissioner and county tax commissioners must adopt policies to carry out the law.
### What it does
- Bans including a taxpayer's telephone number in any property tax roll, assessment record, or other publicly accessible tax document, whether on paper or electronic.
- Extends the ban to phone numbers shared through data sales, open records requests, or agreements with third parties.
- Creates exceptions for internal government tax collection use, court-ordered disclosures, and cases with the taxpayer's written consent.
- Sets a civil penalty of up to $5,000 for anyone who recklessly or knowingly discloses a taxpayer's phone number in a public tax record.
- Classifies violations as unfair or deceptive practices under Georgia's Fair Business Practices Act (O.C.G.A. Title 10), opening the door to that law's enforcement tools.
- Directs the state tax commissioner and county tax commissioners to adopt policies and procedures to implement the new rule.
### Who it affects
Georgia property owners whose phone numbers currently appear in tax records; county tax commissioners and the state revenue commissioner, who must adopt new policies; companies that buy or use bulk property tax data for marketing or other purposes; and anyone who requests property tax records under Georgia's open records law.
### Why it matters
If enacted, Georgia taxpayers' phone numbers would no longer show up in property tax records sold or shared with outside parties, reducing a source of unwanted solicitation calls and potential fraud. Data brokers, marketers, and others who rely on public tax records for phone numbers would lose access to that information.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 names the law the 'Georgia Taxpayer Privacy Protection Act.'
- Section 2 lays out legislative findings that phone numbers in tax records are unnecessary for transparency and can be misused for solicitation, fraud, or identity theft.
- Section 3 adds new Code Section 48-5-35, banning taxpayer phone numbers from tax rolls, assessment records, and data shared with third parties, in both physical and electronic form.
- Section 3 exempts internal government use, court-ordered disclosures, and taxpayer written consent from the ban.
- Section 3 sets a civil penalty of up to $5,000 for reckless or knowing violations and ties violations to the Fair Business Practices Act (O.C.G.A. Title 10).
- Section 3 requires the commissioner and county tax commissioners to adopt implementing policies and procedures.
- Section 4 repeals conflicting laws.
## Status
- Status: Engrossed (2026-03-06)
- Last action: Senate Read Second Time (2026-03-19)
- Sponsors: David Huddleston, Johnny Chastain, Tim Fleming, Todd Jones, Derrick McCollum, Timothy Bearden
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71841
> The history, votes, and amendments (596 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb874.md?full=1