Georgia bill would require apartment emergency contact info for after‑hours incidents

Representative Yasmin Neal introduced House Bill 779 (LC 620357S) to the State and Local Government Subcommittee, proposing that owners and managers of apartment complexes provide tenants with after‑hours emergency contact information and post that contact information at leasing offices and entrances. Neal said the measure is intended to help residents and first responders who encounter burst pipes, flooding or similar emergencies when regular on‑site staff are not available.

The bill would place the obligation on owners and management, not tenants, Neal said; she told the committee she envisions numbers being provided on lease paperwork and posted on doors so residents do not have to leave their homes in the middle of the night to find help. Committee members asked whether a rental registry would achieve similar goals and whether the requirement would expand beyond emergency services; Neal said the bill could complement other measures but is narrowly focused on emergency contact information.

Noel Raines of the Georgia Municipal Association testified in support, saying staff and local emergency responders benefit from having readily available contact points during natural disasters and other after‑hours incidents. Representative Bernal asked for data on what percentage of apartment complexes currently lack emergency contact information; the witness and the bill sponsor said those numbers were not available in committee but could be provided later.

Chair and committee members treated the presentation as a hearing‑only item and encouraged the sponsor to work on technical amendments suggested during questioning, including explicit posting requirements and language on how tenants should receive the information at move‑in. The committee did not take action on HB 779 during the session.