HCSHB1249--FILEDORRECORDEDDOCUMENTS
SPONSOR: Amato
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonLocalGovernmentbyavoteof15to1.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
1249.
Thisbillprohibitsapersonfromobtainingaloanwithaquitclaim
deedunlessthepersonisapartytotheoriginalwarrantydeedor
obtainedtitletothepropertythroughaquiettitleaction.
Thebillincreasesthepenaltyforfilingfalsedocumentsfroma
classDfelony,toaclassCfelonyforthefirstoffense,andfrom
aclassCfelony,toaclassBfelonyundercertaincircumstances,
asprovidedinthebill.
Thisbillprovidesthat,uponpresentationofinformationtolaw
enforcementfromapropertyownerindicatingthataquitclaimdeed
isfraudulent,andanaffidavitattestingtotheaccuracyofthat
claim,lawenforcementmustinvestigatethecomplaint. Iflaw
enforcementfindsreasonableevidencethatthetransactionwas
fraudulent,theywillreferthemattertotheprosecutingattorney.
Theprosecutorhas45daystoinvestigatethecomplaint. Ifthere
isprobablecausethedocumentwasfiledfraudulently,the
prosecutorwillpetitionforjudicialreview.
Thebillalsoincreasesthepenaltyforknowinglyimpersonatinga
notarytoaclassAmisdemeanor,punishableuponconvictionbya
finenotexceeding$2,000orimprisonmentfornotmorethanone
year,orboth.
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthisbillisneededtoprevent
quitclaimdeedfraud.Nopersonimpersonatinganotaryisdoingso
foravalidreason.Thebillstrikesagoodbalanceprotecting
propertyowners'interestswhilenotplacingonerousrequirements
onrecordersandtitlecompanies.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Amato;
RecordersAssociationofMissouri;andArnieC.Dienoff.
OPPONENTS: Therewasnooppositionvoicedtothecommittee. Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.