Courts; authorization for electronic filing of pleadings in probate court; provide
Summary
A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 4 of Chapter 9 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to time, place, and procedure, so as to provide for authorization for the electronic filing of pleadings in probate court; to provide for the promulgation of rules; to provide for fees; to provide for access to pleadings for certain staff and litigants; to provide for limitations; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2026
House Passage
Mar 2025
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
Signed into Law
May 2026
Introduced Feb 19, 2025
Signed May 5, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison
What changed between versions
LC 48 1457/a
→
HB 530/AP*
·
4 edits
MODERATE
The bill updates the timeline for mandatory electronic filing in Georgia probate courts from January 1, 2028, to January 1, 2029. It also clarifies the rules for paper filings, requiring courts to convert physical documents to electronic format while waiving the standard filing fee for those specific cases, and it reorganizes the list of entities exempt from filing fees.
Scope change
The bill's scope remains focused on probate court procedures, but the applicability of mandatory electronic filing is delayed by one year, and the handling of paper filings is now explicitly defined as a temporary accommodation with specific fee waivers.
TIMELINE
The deadline for mandatory electronic filing was extended from January 1, 2028, to January 1, 2029.
REQUIREMENT
Courts are now required to provide a public terminal for electronic filing within the courthouse or county law library once mandatory electronic filing begins.
A new provision states that once mandatory electronic filing starts, clerks must accept and convert paper documents from attorneys or self-represented parties, waiving the standard filing fee for those converted cases.
ELIGIBILITY
The list of fee-exempt filers was reorganized and expanded to explicitly include guardians ad litem and municipal/county governments as distinct categories.
Floor votes · Senate Mar 25, 2026 · House Mar 6, 2025
How they voted
41–0
Passed · 6 other
Total votes 47
Mar 25, 2026
D
Democratic18
77% Yea
R
Republican29
93% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
19
Key actions
7
Committee
5
Amendments
1
May 5, 2026
Signed into law
Act 383
upper
May 5, 2026
Signed into law
House Date Signed by Governor
lower
Mar 27, 2026
Introduced
House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub
lower
Mar 25, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute
upper
Mar 18, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
upper
Jan 12, 2026
Committee
Senate Recommitted
upper
Mar 20, 2025
Upper · Passed
Senate Committee Favorably Reported
upper
Mar 10, 2025
Committee
Senate Read and Referred
upper
Mar 6, 2025
Lower · Passed
House Passed/Adopted
lower
Feb 26, 2025
Lower · Passed
House Committee Favorably Reported
lower
Feb 19, 2025
Introduced
House Hopper
lower
5 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
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