# Georgia HB 1272: Banking and finance; licensing of payment stablecoin issuers; provisions Georgia HB 1272, Banking and finance; licensing of payment stablecoin issuers; provisions, is a 2025-2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Demetrius Douglas (Democrat), Scott Hilton (Republican), Todd Jones (Republican) and 3 others; status signed, last action 2026-07-01 (Effective Date) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1272-2025-2026 - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Georgia HB 1272 - State: Georgia - Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session - Title: Banking and finance; licensing of payment stablecoin issuers; provisions - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-02-10 - Last action: 2026-07-01, Effective Date - Sponsors: Demetrius Douglas (Democrat), Scott Hilton (Republican), Todd Jones (Republican), Billy Mitchell (Democrat), Noel Williams (Republican), Bruce Williamson (Republican) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Banks & Banking, Banking and Financial Institutions, General Bill - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 3 (243 yes, 27 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 17 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Stronger reserve protection for stablecoin holders: benefit, medium. Licensed issuers must keep identifiable reserves worth at least $1 for every $1 of outstanding stablecoins. Allowed assets include cash, specified deposits, short-term Treasuries, qualifying Treasury-backed agreements, and government money market funds. Treasury securities must meet 93-day maturity… - Advance fee notices for stablecoin customers: benefit, low. Licensed stablecoin issuers must publish a clear policy explaining how customers can redeem their stablecoins promptly. They must explain purchase and redemption fees in plain language. Before changing fees, issuers must give customers at least seven days’ notice. They must also tell customers they… - Stablecoin customers cannot face forced purchases: benefit, low. Stablecoin issuers cannot require customers to buy another paid product from the issuer or its subsidiary to access services. They also cannot require customers to avoid a competitor’s products or services. - Stablecoin issuers cannot pay holding rewards: cost, low. Licensed issuers cannot pay interest or yield solely because someone holds, uses, or keeps a payment stablecoin. The ban covers cash, tokens, and other forms of payment. It limits issuer-paid returns available to holders. - Georgia can revoke licenses and remove leaders: cost, low. Georgia can suspend or revoke issuer licenses for listed violations, fraud, false statements, unsafe operations, insolvency, and specified unpaid judgments. A final chapter cease-and-desist order from the preceding five years can also support revocation. Beginning on the earlier of January 18, 2027… - Issuers face staffing, risk, and ownership rules: cost, low. Licensed issuers must always keep a Georgia office and meet the commissioner’s Georgia staffing minimum within one year of starting operations. Georgia must set capital, liquidity, governance, technology, operational, and third-party risk standards meeting or exceeding federal requirements. Issuers… - Stablecoin issuers must check customers and transactions: cost, low. Licensed issuers are financial institutions under the federal Bank Secrecy Act and must follow applicable money-laundering and sanctions rules. They must check customers, keep records, monitor and report suspicious transactions, and block or reject unlawful transactions. Issuers must certify their… - Stablecoin issuers pay for annual state exams: cost, low. Georgia must examine or investigate each licensed issuer at least once a year and can do so more often. It can review relevant affiliates, demand records and testimony, and use subpoenas. Covered firms and people must provide requested records and cannot knowingly hide, alter, destroy, or withhold… - Stablecoin issuers pay licensing and renewal fees: cost, low. Applicants must submit sworn applications with business and ownership details and pay a nonrefundable investigation and supervision fee. Georgia sets the fee by rule; approval makes it cover the first licensed year or remaining portion. Applicants and licensees also pay required criminal-history-ch… - Stablecoin violations trigger stop orders and fines: cost, low. These powers begin on the earlier of January 18, 2027, or 120 days after final GENIUS Act implementing regulations. They depend on state appropriations. Georgia can immediately order licensed issuers to stop activity that appears to violate applicable laws, regulations, or department requirements.… - Reserve shortfalls can freeze stablecoin redemptions: mixed, medium. An issuer that fails to maintain required reserves must calculate their current market value. If backing falls below one-to-one, it must add enough capital or halt redemptions. The alternative requires holding reserves to maturity and distributing them to holders under the federal GENIUS Act. The r… - Stablecoin sales face limits, personal transfers exempt: mixed, medium. Georgia limits payment stablecoin issuance to permitted issuers. Beginning July 18, 2028, stablecoins offered or sold must come from licensed, permitted, or state-qualified issuers. The covered restrictions exclude lawful, direct transfers between individuals acting for themselves without an interm… - Stablecoin holders get monthly reserve reports: mixed, low. Licensed issuers must post monthly reports showing outstanding stablecoins, reserve amounts and types, average maturity, and custody locations. Their chief executive and chief financial officers must certify each report’s accuracy to Georgia. Knowingly false certifications carry criminal penalties.… - Stablecoin marketing gains permissions and limits: mixed, low. Federally qualified and Georgia-licensed issuers can use “stablecoin” and “payment stablecoin” in signs and marketing. Licensed issuers cannot use names barred by the GENIUS Act or names related to Georgia or its government. Marketing cannot suggest legal-tender status, U.S. or Georgia issuance or… - Georgia licenses issuers without duplicate transfer licenses: mixed, low. The Georgia Payment Stablecoin Act takes effect on the earlier of January 18, 2027, or 120 days after final GENIUS Act implementing regulations are issued. It creates state licensing, supervision, and examination rules for payment stablecoin issuers. Licensed issuers also fall under banking rules c… - Issuer records gain privacy and challenge rights: mixed, low. Georgia can use the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System and set participation rules, while keeping control of Georgia license decisions. Licensed issuers must have a way to challenge information Georgia enters in that system. Examination and investigation information generally stays confidential… - Issuer screening comes with license decision deadlines: mixed, low. Georgia reviews issuers’ finances, fitness, and specified felony histories when deciding initial and renewal license applications. It can request fingerprints from applicants, licensees, directors, officers, and ultimate owners; conviction records remain confidential with a legal-inspection excepti… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Demetrius Douglas (Democrat), House - Sponsor: Scott Hilton (Republican), House - Sponsor: Todd Jones (Republican), House - Sponsor: Billy Mitchell (Democrat), House - Sponsor: Noel Williams (Republican), House - Sponsor: Bruce Williamson (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Greg Dolezal (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-02 | Senate | PASSAGE | pass | 50 | 1 | 3 | | 2026-03-31 | Senate | MOTION TO TABLE REMAINING LEGISLATION ON THE RULES CALENDAR | pass | 39 | 10 | 4 | | 2026-03-04 | House | PASSAGE | pass | 154 | 16 | 6 | ## Actions (17) - 2026-07-01: Effective Date - 2026-05-11: House Date Signed by Governor (House) - 2026-05-11: Act 452 - 2026-04-10: House Sent to Governor (House) - 2026-04-02: Senate Taken from Table (Senate) - 2026-04-02: Senate Third Read (Senate) - 2026-04-02: Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate) - 2026-03-31: Senate Tabled (Senate) - 2026-03-25: Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate) - 2026-03-25: Senate Read Second Time (Senate) - 2026-03-06: Senate Read and Referred (Senate) - 2026-03-04: House Third Readers (House) - 2026-03-04: House Passed/Adopted (House) - 2026-02-20: House Committee Favorably Reported (House) - 2026-02-12: House Second Readers (House) - 2026-02-11: House First Readers (House) - 2026-02-10: House Hopper (House) ## Bill text - HB 1272/AP* (v3): [PDF](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/249038) ## Related bills - SB 160: Reckless Stunt Driving; a motor vehicle involved in a second offense of reckless stunt driving; replace the forfeiture penalty (signed) - SB 384: Motor Vehicle; optional five-year motor vehicle registration and revalidation for certain motor vehicles; provide (signed) - SB 76: License Plates; specialty license plate benefitting the Georgia Veterans Service Foundation; establish (signed) - SB 406: "Georgia Property Owners' Bill of Rights Act"; enact (signed) - HB 1391: Specialty license plates; honor public safety officers; establish (signed) - HB 1344: Georgia Insurance Affordability and Claims Integrity Act; enact (signed) ## Sources - [HB 1272/AP* (v3) (PDF)](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/249038) ## Related - [SB 160: Reckless Stunt Driving; a motor vehicle involved in a second offense of reckles…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB160-2025-2026) - [SB 384: Motor Vehicle; optional five-year motor vehicle registration and revalidation f…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB384-2025-2026) - [SB 76: License Plates; specialty license plate benefitting the Georgia Veterans Servic…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB76-2025-2026) - [SB 406: "Georgia Property Owners' Bill of Rights Act"; enact](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB406-2025-2026) - [HB 1391: Specialty license plates; honor public safety officers; establish](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1391-2025-2026) - [HB 1344: Georgia Insurance Affordability and Claims Integrity Act; enact](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1344-2025-2026) - [Georgia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/georgia/bills) - [Georgia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/georgia) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1272-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-19).