Bill > HB1470

This bill establishes a new legal recourse for businesses and entities in Georgia that are sued for allegedly violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) concerning their websites, when those lawsuits are unsuccessful. Specifically, if a lawsuit alleging ADA website violations is decided against the claimant, or is dismissed for reasons like lack of standing or involuntarily, the business or entity being sued can sue the claimant and their attorney. If successful in this new action, the business or entity can recover actual damages for business disruption or lost opportunities, or a minimum of $10,000, whichever is greater, plus their reasonable attorney fees for defending the original lawsuit and pursuing this new action. Furthermore, if the claimant was notified of this new law and still refused to drop their original lawsuit, the business or entity can be awarded treble damages (three times the amount of damages). This new cause of action must be filed within two years of the judgment in the original unsuccessful lawsuit, and the law is intended to be interpreted narrowly, meaning it won't change other existing laws. This provision will take effect on July 1, 2026, and will apply to new lawsuits filed on or after that date.