Senate committee hears bill to require online booking sites to disclose when they are not the hotel

Senator Halpern presented Senate Bill 416 (LC590212), a targeted consumer-protection measure that would require online booking platforms that are not the hotel to make a clear and conspicuous disclosure prior to the completion of a reservation so consumers know who they are transacting with.

The sponsor said the bill does not ban third-party marketplaces but seeks transparency so consumers are not misled into paying higher prices, seeing hidden fees, or finding no reservation when they arrive. The bill explicitly exempts hotel-owned booking platforms, sites with direct contractual relationships with hotels, and official housing bureaus for events; the language also requires an 'affiliation contract' or similar proof for platforms that claim to represent hotels.

Chris Hardman of the Georgia Hotel and Lodging Association supported the bill, telling the committee Georgia should lead on transparency and describing risks to vulnerable travelers and small hoteliers. Industry and committee members noted the upcoming FIFA World Cup and the risk of deceptive listings during major events.

A private citizen, Hunter Loggins, gave a brief account of an experience where a booking site tried to charge him approximately $300 above a listed price and the transaction process raised red flags; he said such incidents are not isolated.

Committee members asked jurisdictional and enforcement questions: the sponsor clarified the bill would apply to bookings for hotels in Georgia and could be enforced under state consumer-protection law; members discussed possible future expansions to other travel products but treated the bill as a narrow first step. The hearing was held for consideration and was not amended or voted on in committee during the session recorded in the transcript.

The committee adjourned after the hearing and announced a committee dinner the following evening.