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HB 289GEORGIASession 2025_26State Billdead
Did Not Advance

Georgia House Bill 289 Establishes Framework for Remote Online Notarization and Electronic Real Estate Recording

Original title: Courts; remote online notaries public and remote online notarizations; provide

Last action · March 6, 2026: House Committee Favorably Reported By SubstituteSponsors: Joseph Gullett and 5 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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What This Bill Proposed

Georgia HB 289 authorizes remote online notaries public and remote online notarizations starting January 1, 2027, while setting security, journaling, and technology standards under the supervision of the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority. The bill also amends the Fair Business Practices Act to make the recording of residential real estate documents resulting from the unauthorized practice of law an unfair and deceptive practice, and exempts remote online notarization audiovisual recordings from public disclosure.

Why it matters

Residents and real estate professionals gain the legal framework to execute and record documents using remote audiovisual technology, while county clerks and state authorities enforce strict , secure ing, and a maximum $25 fee for online notarial acts.

Background
  • Remote online notarization (RON) allows documents to be notarized electronically while the signer and notary are in different physical locations, using two-way audiovisual technology and secure identity verification. context
  • Georgia previously required physical presence for notarizing most documents, prompting legislative efforts to establish statutory guidelines for secure electronic and remote notarizations. context

Who It Would Have Affected

Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Notaries Public

Notaries may seek optional remote online commission, must complete training and examinations, maintain electronic journals and surety bonds, and follow strict digital signature and technology standards.

Directly affected

Clerks of Superior Court

Clerks receive and process applications for remote online notary appointments, issue unique commission numbers, and record deeds without examining underlying witnessing circumstances beyond checking signatures and seals.

Directly affected

Real Estate Consumers

Consumers can execute real estate documents via remote online notarization and are protected against deceptive practices involving real estate documents stemming from the unauthorized practice of law.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

When can notaries start performing remote online notarizations under this bill?
The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority must adopt standards prior to January 1, 2027, and individuals may apply and be appointed as remote online notaries pursuant to the provisions taking effect for that purpose.
How much can a remote online notary charge for a notarization?
A remote online notary public or their employer may charge a fee not to exceed $25.00 per remote online notarization.
Are the video recordings of remote online notarizations open to public inspection?
No. Records consisting of any audiovisual recording of the performance of a remote online notarization process are exempt from public disclosure under public records inspection laws.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Where This Stands

This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in House committee.

Procedural history

4 actions
  1. Mar 6, 2026HouseCommittee
    House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
  2. Feb 10, 2025House
    House Second Readers
  3. Feb 6, 2025HouseIntroduced
    House First Readers
  4. Feb 5, 2025HouseIntroduced
    House Hopper

Version history & redline

2 versions on file
Comparing LC 48 1422/a → LC 49 2778S/hs
removed addedOfficial text
removed: 25 added: 26 LC removed: 48 1422 added: 49 2778S The House removed: Bill 289 By: Representatives Gullett of the 19th , Efstration of the 104th , Williamson of the 112th , Jones of the 25th , Holcomb of added: Committee on Judiciary offers the removed: 101st , and others added: following substitute to HB 289: A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Article 2 of Chapter 6 of Title 15 and Article 1 of Chapter 17 of […] notarial act." SECTION 1-5. Said article is further amended by adding new Code sections to read as follows: "45-17-8.3. (a) Prior to January 1, removed: 2026, added: 2027, the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority shall adopt standards for remote online notarization in accordance with this article. (b) The Georgia Superior Court […] Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority. (c) Except for a remote online notary public as commissioned under subsection (h) of this Code section, effective January 1, removed: 2026, added: 2027, an individual who meets the qualifications for becoming a notary public of this state desiring to be appointed as a remote online notary public […]
Redline computed from the official version text (record lane).View this version →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Sponsors

Joseph GullettHouse · District 19RepublicanPrimary sponsor
Chuck EfstrationHouse · District 104RepublicanCosponsor
Bruce WilliamsonHouse · District 112RepublicanCosponsor
Todd JonesHouse · District 25RepublicanCosponsor
Scott HolcombHouse · District 101DemocraticCosponsor
Show 1 more sponsor
Stacey EvansHouse · District 57DemocraticCosponsor

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Transition to Remote Digital Governance

The legislation formally moves Georgia's legal and real estate sectors toward remote digital execution while maintaining mandatory attorney supervision for real estate closings.

Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority

Connected Entities

Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority, Department of Transportation, Atlanta-region Transit Link 'ATL' Authority and 1 more
OrganizationGeorgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority“Adopts standards, courses, and technical rules for remote online notarization.”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of Transportation“Mentioned in public records inspection exemptions.”Map →
OrganizationAtlanta-region Transit Link 'ATL' Authority“Mentioned in public records inspection exemptions.”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of Revenue“Mentioned in public records inspection exemptions.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.legis.ga.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance20
    Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 75)
  • Controversy15
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz40
    Current news / social attention level

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