Privacy measure passes in Georgia Senate
Civil rights organizations claim that a bill enacted by the Georgia Senate that purports to safeguard the privacy of Georgians actually benefits tech businesses at the expense of consumers.
Senators voted 37 to 15 in support of “Georgia Consumer Privacy Protection Act” (Senate Bill 473).
From his vantage point in the state Senate, Republican senator from Roswell John Albers criticized the bill, saying it was “almost exclusively” based on a Tennessee law. While the Tennessee bill specifically exempts certain federal requirements—like the HIPAA mandate—the Georgia plan includes an exception for federal regulations, which he acknowledged would likely change over time.
“Our data is an electronic world now; it’s not like it was 10 or even 20 years ago,” stated Albers. The emphasis here is on the systems, programs, and resources that will let you track down your sensitive information and erase it if you so desire.
“Data privacy laws, in addition to giving peace of mind to consumers — each one of us — it can also benefit the companies to meet their compliance requirements,” said Albers. “When a company demonstrates compliance, consumers and third parties can know that their data is respected and secure, which means they are likelier to continue doing business with that company.”
State legislators in Georgia chose to move forward with the plan despite criticism from the American Civil Liberties Union, which claims the bill fails to adequately safeguard Georgian consumers.
“We are disappointed that Georgia passed Senate Bill 473 today,” stated Christopher Bruce, policy director of the ACLU of Georgia. There aren’t enough safeguards for Georgians’ privacy in this measure; it focuses too much on protecting large tech companies.
“The ACLU of Georgia remains committed to meaningful consumer privacy protections and will continue to work with lawmakers in the Georgia House to support language that will actually protect how our most personal and unchangeable biological characteristics are collected, used, and sold.”
July 1, 2026 is the effective date of the measure.
