The Scottish government has moved to prevent local authorities using the electoral register to chase people with debts under the historic poll tax.
First minister Alex Salmond plans to introduce a new law in the Scottish government's forthcoming legislation programme stopping councils collecting poll tax arrears.
They will instead be compensated for outstanding amounts in line with current collection rates.
The poll tax or community charge replaced rates in Scotland from 1989, a year before its introduction in England and Wales from 1990.
It was deeply unpopular and was abolished after only four years in 1993.
The latest move follows the Scottish independence referendum in which an unprecedented 97% of those eligible registered to vote.
Some councils then used the electoral register to identify people who owed a total of almost £300m in poll tax debts.
Since the tax was abolished the collection rate for outstanding arrears has fallen steadily, totaling less than £400,000 in Scotland last year.
Mr Salmond described the poll tax as 'a hated levy, which poured untold misery on communities across Scotland'.
He added: 'It is therefore not appropriate for councils to use current electoral records to chase arrears from decades ago.'