Georgia legislation · 2025-2026 Regular Session
Georgia HB1470: Torts; abusive litigation based on alleged website access violations under federal and state law; create a cause of action
Status: Signed into law, May 11, 2026
A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 7 of Title 51 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to false arrest, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, and abusive litigation, so as to create a cause of action for abusive litigation based on alleged website access violations under federal and state law; to provide factors for evaluating a claim of abusive website access litigation; to provide for a rebuttable presumption when corrective action is taken after receiving notice of an alleged website access violation; to provide for damages; to authorize the Attorney General to intervene and seek certain relief and to make investigative demands for evidence in certain circumstances; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
What the bill says
To amend Chapter 7 of Title 51 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to false arrest, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, and abusive litigation, so as to create a cause of action for abusive litigation based on alleged website access violations under federal and state law; to provide factors for evaluating a claim of abusive website access litigation; to provide for a rebuttable presumption when corrective action is taken after receiving notice of an alleged website access violation; to provide for damages…
From the introduced text:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED To amend Chapter 7 of Title 51 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to false arrest, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, and abusive litigation, so as to create a cause of action for abusive litigation based on alleged website access violations under federal and state law; to provide factors for evaluating a claim of abusive website access litigation; to provide for a rebuttable presumption when corrective action is taken after receiving notice of an alleged website access violation; to provide for damages; to authorize the Attorney General to intervene and seek certain relief and to make investigative demands for evidence in certain circumstances; to provide for definitions; 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 7 of Title 51 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to false arrest, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, and abusive litigation, is amended by adding a new article to read as follows: H. B. 1470 LC 63 0114 "ARTICLE 51-7-100. As used in this article, the term: (1) 'Civil proceeding' shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code Section 51-7-80. (2) 'Claim' shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code Section 51-7-80. (3) 'Person' shall have the …