HB204 Alabama 2010 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Mac McCutcheon

Republican

Co-Sponsors

Mike BallRandy Wood

Session

Regular Session 2010

Title

Social Security number and birth date, person recording required and judge of probate authorized to redact, remove or make illegible on marriage licenses and public documents, Sec. 12-13-22 am'd.

Summary

HB204 would require probate court filings to redact Social Security numbers and birth dates from public records, and give the probate judge authority to redact or obscure these details.

What This Bill Does

The bill requires document submitters to redact Social Security numbers before recording public records with the probate court, making SSNs a condition of filing. It also requires birthdates to be redacted unless law requires inclusion or the birthdate is a necessary part of the document. The judge of probate may redact or obscure SSNs or birthdates in records and may provide records to the public in electronic format or publish them online. If federal law conflicts, the instrument must comply with federal law, and noncompliance with these provisions does not invalidate the document.

Who It Affects

• People who file documents with the probate court (such as marriage licenses or property-related records): they must redact Social Security numbers and birthdates before filing; SSN removal is required for filing.
• The probate judge and probate office: they have authority to redact or obscure SSNs and birthdates in public records and to make records available electronically or online.

Key Provisions

• Before recording public records with the probate court that convey or encumber property, the document submitter must redact any Social Security number; removal of the SSN is a condition to filing.
• Before recording such documents, birthdates must be redacted if they appear with a person’s name, unless law requires the birthdate or it is a necessary part of the document.
• The judge of probate may redact, remove, or make illegible a Social Security number or birthdate appearing in connection with a person’s name on public records filed in the probate court.
• The judge of probate may make records available to the public in electronic format and publish them on the Internet.
• If federal law conflicts with this section, the instrument must comply with federal law.
• Failure to comply with these requirements does not invalidate or adversely affect the recorded document.
• The act becomes effective immediately after passage and approval by the Governor.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Social Security Number