HB 427 Georgia House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Property; notice to owner and deed holder when another deed is filed by another party; provide

Summary

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 1 of Chapter 2 of Title 44 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to recording relative to property, so as to provide for notice to the owner and deed holder when another deed is filed by another party; to provide for a 45 day waiting period; to provide for limitations; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Bill status died 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 12, 2025 Last action Apr 4, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

LC 48 1411/a → LC 48 1535S/hs · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill substitutes a new version of HB 427 that expands Georgia's electronic recording system for property deeds and instruments. The changes modernize the law to include electronic filing requirements, clarify the 45-day waiting period for unauthorized recordings, and add numerous exemptions for professionals like attorneys, title agents, and government officials.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from general property recording to specifically include electronic recording of documents concerning both real and personal property, with new provisions for electronic filing and archival conversion.

REQUIREMENT

Added mandatory electronic filing requirement for self-filers starting January 1, 2026, requiring all instruments in deed, lien, or plat dockets to be submitted electronically.

Added new Code Section 44-2-2.1 establishing a 45-day waiting period for recordings by parties other than the owner or deed holder, with specific notice requirements and waiver procedures.

Added new Code Section 44-2-38 authorizing clerks of superior court to receive, store, archive, and transmit electronic documents, and to convert paper documents to electronic form for archival purposes.

ELIGIBILITY

Expanded the list of 11 categories of people who can waive the 45-day waiting period, including insurance agents, attorneys, mortgage lenders, bank agents, government officials, land surveyors, and property owners.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date from the original version to January 1, 2026, giving more time for implementation of electronic filing requirements.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 4, 2025

Committee

House Withdrawn, Recommitted

lower

Feb 26, 2025

Lower · Passed

House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute

lower

Feb 12, 2025

Introduced

House Hopper

lower

5 primary · 0 co-sponsors