Georgia CommonsHouse · Introduced · 2025-2026 Regular Session
HB 913: Administrative Service, Department of; prohibit a governmental entity from entering into contracts for the licensing of certain software applications
Last action February 12, 2026 · House Committee Favorably Reported
A Georgia House bill would bar state agencies, counties, cities, school systems, and other government bodies from signing software license contracts that restrict which computer hardware they can run the software on.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Introduced version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
Georgia's purchasing rules currently do not address whether software vendors can require government customers to run applications only on specific desktop or server hardware. This bill would add a new section to the state purchasing law (O.C.G.A. Title 50, Chapter 5) that prohibits governmental entities from entering into software licensing contracts that limit their ability to install or run the software on the desktop or server hardware of their own choosing, as long as the software is designed to run on generally available hardware. The bill defines 'governmental entity' broadly to include state departments, agencies, boards, commissions, counties, municipal corporations, and school systems. It would apply to new contracts entered into after the bill takes effect, as well as to renewals, modifications, or extensions of existing agreements made after that date. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it, or if it becomes law without his signature.
What the bill does
- Adds a new Georgia purchasing law section (O.C.G.A. § 50-5-86) barring governmental entities from signing software contracts that restrict which hardware the software runs on.
- Defines 'governmental entity' to include state departments, agencies, boards, commissions, counties, municipal corporations, and school systems.
- Limits the restriction to software designed to run on generally available desktop or server hardware.
- Applies the rule to new contracts and to renewals, modifications, or extensions of existing contracts signed after the law takes effect.
- Sets the effective date as the date the Governor signs the bill or it otherwise becomes law without his signature.
Who it affects
State agencies, county and municipal governments, school systems, and other political subdivisions of Georgia that purchase or license software, as well as the software vendors who contract with them for licenses tied to particular hardware.
Why it matters
Government agencies sometimes face software licenses that force them to buy or keep specific hardware to keep using the software. This bill would give Georgia governmental entities more freedom to choose their own computer equipment, potentially affecting future procurement negotiations and existing contract renewals.
Key provisions
- Section 1 adds new Code section 50-5-86, prohibiting hardware-restrictive software license contracts for governmental entities.
- Section 1 defines 'governmental entity' to cover state departments, agencies, boards, bureaus, commissions, authorities, counties, municipalities, school systems, and other political subdivisions.
- Section 2 sets the effective date as the date of the Governor's approval or the date the bill becomes law without approval, and applies the rule to future contracts and renewals or modifications of existing ones.
- Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.
From the bill
“A contract procured by a governmental entity for the licensing of software applications designed to run on generally available desktop or server hardware shall not limit such governmental entity's ability to install or run such software applications on the desktop or server hardware of such governmental entity's choosing.”
Discussed in meetings (3)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
House Governmental Affairs Committee, February 11, 2026
From 0:14:18 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 913 would prohibit terms in future government software contracts that restrict customers’ choice of other technology providers or impose penalties for using them. The sponsor argued that the change would encourage competitive pricing, give state and local agencies flexibility and allow them to spread cybersecurity risks across providers. A witness for the Coalition for Fair Software Licensing said bundled purchases would remain allowed, but vendors could not force agencies to buy additional services. The witness said six states had passed similar legislation. Asked which companies used these practices, the witness identified Microsoft, Oracle and SAP as companies facing scrutiny, while emphasizing that the proposal did not target individual vendors. The committee approved a motion to advance the bill by voice vote, with no opposition recorded.
Status timeline
- House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Tim Fleming (R, HD-114)
- Joseph Gullett (R, HD-19)
- Scott Holcomb (D, HD-101)
- Matt Reeves (R, HD-99)
- Omari Crawford (D, HD-89)
Topics
- state purchasing rules
- software licensing
- government contracts
- technology procurement