HB 289 2024
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hb0289-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to title fraud prevention; creating s. 2
696.031, F.S.; creating s. 696.031, F.S.; creating a 3
pilot program in Broward County; providing a 4
definition; requiring certain parties to provide 5
specified information to the property appraiser; 6
requiring the property appraiser to make certain 7
notifications to specified parties; providing that 8
certain action or inaction does not give rise to 9
liability; requiring participating property appraisers 10
to submit a report to specified parties containing 11
certain information; providing for future repeal; 12
providing an effective date. 13
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 15
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Section 1. Section 696.031, Florida Statutes, is created 17
to read: 18
696.031 Title fraud prevention through sales contract 19
notification services; pilot program. — 20
(1) As used in this section, the term "property appraiser" 21
means the property appraiser for Broward Count y. 22
(2) Upon execution of a real property contract and before 23
the execution of the real property conveyance instrument, real 24
estate brokers as defined in s. 475.01(1), title agents, and 25
HB 289 2024
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hb0289-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
attorneys involved in the transfer of real property are 26
encouraged to furnish to the property appraiser a seller's name, 27
mailing address, e-mail address, and phone number, as such 28
information appears within the contract. 29
(3) The property appraiser shall notify land record 30
notification service registrants, as defined in s. 28.47(1), 31
that a contract for the sale or purchase of the real estate has 32
been executed. The purpose of the notification service is to 33
confirm the seller's identity to ensure the integrity of the 34
real estate transaction. 35
(4) There is no right or cause o f action against, and no 36
civil liability on the part of, real estate brokers as defined 37
in s. 475.01, title agents, attorneys, or the property appraiser 38
with respect to the creation, maintenance, and operation of a 39
sales contract notification service or la nd record notification 40
service, or for providing information to the property appraiser 41
under this section. 42
(5) By July 1, 2026, the property appraiser must report to 43
the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of 44
the House of Representativ es the following information: 45
(a) The number of real estate brokers, title agents, and 46
attorneys who provided information to the property appraiser 47
under this section. 48
(b) The number of times a seller's contact information was 49
provided to the property appraiser under this section 50
HB 289 2024
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0289-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
(c) The property appraiser's recommendation as to whether 51
the sales contract notification service is appropriate to 52
recommend throughout the state as an effective tool to combat 53
title fraud. 54
(d) Any other information the property appraiser deems 55
necessary. 56
(6) This section is repealed on July 1, 2026. 57
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024. 58