Business Identity Transparency

Create a statewide, searchable registry of business trade names so consumers know who they're actually dealing with.

The Problem

Georgia requires businesses operating under trade names to register with the county clerk — but there is no central statewide database. Predatory businesses defraud consumers under one name, disappear, and reopen under a different DBA in an adjacent county. Consumers trying to file complaints or pursue legal action often cannot even identify who took their money.

The Solution

Create a centralized, publicly searchable statewide DBA registry at the Secretary of State
Require disclosure of the DBA registration number on all consumer contracts and advertising
Establish meaningful penalties for operating under an unregistered trade name
Make unregistered-DBA transactions a per se deceptive act under Georgia law

Why It Matters

Texas and Florida already have statewide trade name registries. Georgia's system makes it too easy for bad actors to hide from accountability.

Talking Points

Georgia's county-by-county DBA registration system is a patchwork that bad actors exploit easily — they just move counties and start over.
Consumers have a basic right to know the legal identity of who they're doing business with.
A statewide searchable registry costs almost nothing to maintain and provides enormous consumer protection benefit.
Texas and Florida have done this already. Georgia is behind the curve on a common-sense reform.
Requiring DBA numbers on contracts gives consumers and lawyers a reliable way to identify and sue the right entity.

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