# Georgia SB 81: Motor Vehicle Franchise Practices; protection of consumer data in motor vehicle sales; provide Georgia SB 81, Motor Vehicle Franchise Practices; protection of consumer data in motor vehicle sales; provide, is a 2025-2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Matt Brass (Republican), Ed Harbison (Democrat), Harold Jones II (Democrat) and 3 others; status signed, last action 2025-07-01 (Effective Date) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB81-2025-2026 - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Georgia SB 81 - State: Georgia - Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session - Title: Motor Vehicle Franchise Practices; protection of consumer data in motor vehicle sales; provide - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-02-03 - Last action: 2025-07-01, Effective Date - Sponsors: Matt Brass (Republican), Ed Harbison (Democrat), Harold Jones II (Democrat), John F. Kennedy (Republican), Carden Summers (Republican), Larry Walker (Republican) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Regulated Industries, Regulated Industries and Utilities, General Bill - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (217 yes, 6 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 10 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Dealers gain control over data access: benefit, low. Vehicle companies cannot require direct or indirect system access to obtain consumer data; dealers can use common files and chosen vendors. Direct access needs separate written dealer consent, which dealers can withdraw with 30 days' written notice. Outside companies covered by the law also need pr… - Dealers get protection from data-related claims: benefit, low. Covered vehicle companies and representatives must cover dealer claims and damages caused by their unlawful consumer-data access, use, or disclosure. Vendors, approved integrators, and contracted third parties must cover claims caused by their willful, negligent, or impermissible data misuse or dis… - Dealers receive remote-feature and charge details: benefit, low. Manufacturers and distributors must identify each vehicle feature they can start, update, change, or maintain remotely. Their written disclosure to dealers must list related consumer charges known at the time of the transaction. They can satisfy the rule by directing dealers to the information on a… - Secure dealer connections with fee limits: benefit, low. When dealers ask, data-system vendors must provide a secure open connection for an approved integrator hired under written contract. The connection must provide the data access and control needed for the contracted work. Vendors must offer a standard connection framework, including when using STAR… - Dealers gain data recovery and switching rights: benefit, low. Dealers can end data-vendor or integrator contracts with no more than 90 days' notice. After notice, the vendor or integrator must securely move protected data to a successor within a commercially reasonable time. Transition duties include usable data transfers, return or deletion as directed, reci… - Dealers get paid for remote-update help: benefit, low. Vehicle brand companies, manufacturers, or distributors must pay dealers for helping retail buyers or lessees with needed remote changes, repairs, or updates. Help must occur at the dealership or involve dealership staff at another location approved by the manufacturer or distributor. The customer… - Fairer vehicle supply and dealer treatment: benefit, low. Vehicle brand companies must explain their allocation process in writing within 30 days of a dealer's written request. Vehicle quantities must be fair among the state's dealers selling the same make, without unfair discrimination. Temporary supply problems beyond company control, or allocation chan… - Dealer diagnostic data rights stay limited: cost, low. The law does not give new-vehicle dealers broad ownership, use, or sharing rights over vehicle diagnostic data. Dealer rights extend only as far as needed for customer warranty, repair, or service work. It does not create broader diagnostic-data access or sharing rights for customers. - Dealer sales locations face defined limits: mixed, low. New-vehicle dealers must conduct covered sales activities at a registered Georgia business location or a temporary site. Covered activities include sales, leases, binding negotiations, deposits, payments, specific-vehicle reservations, and binding trade-in values. Nonbinding online price or financi… - Consumer data safeguards with allowed uses: mixed, low. Vehicle companies and their representatives must follow privacy laws, avoid causing dealer violations, and describe safeguards when dealers ask. Once every six months, dealers can request a written report covering consumer data obtained during the previous six months. It must identify recipients an… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Matt Brass (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Ed Harbison (Democrat), Senate - Sponsor: Harold Jones II (Democrat), Senate - Sponsor: John F. Kennedy (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Carden Summers (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Larry Walker (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Alan Powell (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-03-13 | House | PASSAGE | pass | 165 | 5 | 5 | | 2025-02-18 | Senate | PASSAGE BY SUBSTITUTE | pass | 52 | 1 | | ## Actions (15) - 2025-07-01: Effective Date - 2025-05-14: Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate) - 2025-05-14: Act 282 - 2025-04-07: Senate Sent to Governor (Senate) - 2025-03-13: House Third Readers (House) - 2025-03-13: House Passed/Adopted (House) - 2025-02-26: House Committee Favorably Reported (House) - 2025-02-20: House Second Readers (House) - 2025-02-19: House First Readers (House) - 2025-02-18: Senate Third Read (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate) - 2025-02-13: Senate Read Second Time (Senate) - 2025-02-12: Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate) - 2025-02-04: Senate Read and Referred (Senate) - 2025-02-03: Senate Hopper (Senate) ## Bill text - SB 81/AP* (v8): [PDF](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/236165) ## 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 - [SB 81/AP* (v8) (PDF)](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/236165) ## 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-SB81-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-19).