---
title: HB 965. Health; copies of certain patient records to parents or legal guardians of unemancipated minors; provide
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb965
cite_as: HB 965, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb965
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb965.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb965/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72214
date: 2026-01-16
status: introduced
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: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb965.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 965
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-01-14
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Noelle Kahaian
- Charlice Byrd
- Houston Gaines
- Bill Fincher
- Brent Cox
- Dale Washburn
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB965/2025
upstream_id: 2080483
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- health records
- parental rights
- patient privacy
- minors' medical care
- patient portals
---
# HB 965. Health; copies of certain patient records to parents or legal guardians of unemancipated minors; provide
## Text
House Bill 965
By: Representatives Kahaian of the 81st, Byrd of the 20th, Gaines of the 120th, Fincher of the
23rd, and Cox of the 28th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 33 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
health records, so as to provide for copies of certain patient records to parents or legal
guardians of unemancipated minors; to provide for parent or legal guardian access to such
records in a patient portal; to provide a definition; to provide for exceptions; to provide for
related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA
SECTION 1.
Chapter 33 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to health records,
is amended in Code Section 31-33-2, relating to retention of records and furnishing of
records to patients, providers, or other authorized persons, by adding a new subsection to
read as follows:
"(f)(1) A provider having custody and control of the records of a patient who is an
unemancipated minor shall, upon written request from a parent or legal guardian of such
minor, furnish a complete and current copy of such records, in accordance with the
provisions of this Code section.
(2) As used in this paragraph, the term 'patient portal' means an internet accessible,
secure application, or similar technology. A provider that uses a patient portal to
maintain the records of a patient who is an unemancipated minor shall ensure that a
parent or legal guardian of such minor has access in such portal to such minor's health
records. A provider shall not require a parent or legal guardian of an unemancipated
minor to obtain authorization from such minor before such parent or legal guardian has
access in a patient portal to records relating to care such minor received with the consent
of such parent or legal guardian.
(3) A provider shall not refuse compliance with paragraph (1) or (2) of this subsection
unless:
(A) Governing federal and state privacy laws require such refusal;
(B) A court order has specifically removed the right of such parent or legal guardian
to such information; or
(C) Parental rights of such parent or legal guardian to such minor have been
terminated."
SECTION 2.
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.
A Georgia House bill would require doctors and other health providers to give parents or legal guardians full access to their unemancipated minor child's medical records, including in online patient portals, with limited exceptions.
### Plain-language summary
Under current Georgia law, health providers control access to patient records, and it is not always clear that parents automatically get full access to a minor child's medical records, especially through online patient portals. This bill amends Georgia's health records law (O.C.G.A. § 31-33-2) to require providers to furnish a complete, current copy of a minor patient's records to a parent or legal guardian upon written request.
The bill also requires providers that use online patient portals to give parents or guardians access to their minor's records in that portal, without requiring the minor's authorization first, for care the parent already consented to. Providers can refuse only if federal or state privacy law requires it, a court order has removed the parent's access rights, or the parent's rights have been terminated. The bill does not include a stated effective date beyond standard practice, so it would take effect once signed into law.
### What it does
- Requires health providers to give parents or legal guardians a complete, current copy of an unemancipated minor's medical records upon written request.
- Requires providers using online patient portals to give parents or legal guardians direct access to their minor child's health records within that portal.
- Bars providers from requiring a minor's authorization before a parent or guardian can view portal records for care the parent already consented to.
- Limits when a provider can refuse to share records: only if federal or state privacy law requires refusal, a court order has removed that parent's access, or parental rights have been terminated.
- Defines 'patient portal' as an internet-accessible, secure application or similar technology used to maintain patient records.
### Who it affects
Parents and legal guardians of unemancipated minors, unemancipated minors whose medical records are involved, and health care providers and hospitals in Georgia that maintain patient records and operate online patient portals.
### Why it matters
Parents seeking their minor child's medical information, including through hospital or clinic online portals, would gain a clearer legal right to that access. Providers would face new compliance obligations and limited grounds for withholding records, which could affect how minors' privacy is handled in specific care situations.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 adds a new subsection (f) to O.C.G.A. § 31-33-2 requiring providers to furnish complete, current copies of an unemancipated minor's records to a parent or guardian upon written request.
- Section 1 defines 'patient portal' as an internet-accessible, secure application or similar technology used by providers to maintain records.
- Section 1 requires providers using a patient portal to ensure parents or guardians have direct access to their minor's health records in that portal.
- Section 1 prohibits providers from requiring a minor's authorization before a parent accesses portal records for care the parent already consented to.
- Section 1 lists three exceptions allowing a provider to refuse compliance: conflicting federal or state privacy law, a court order removing the parent's access rights, or termination of parental rights.
- Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2026-01-14)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2026-01-16)
- Sponsors: Noelle Kahaian, Charlice Byrd, Houston Gaines, Bill Fincher, Brent Cox, Dale Washburn
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72214
> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb965.md?full=1