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83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
Senate Bill 391
Sponsored by Senator GIROD (Presession filed.)
SUMMARY
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject
to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor’s brief statement of the essential features of the
measure as introduced.The statement includes a measure digest written in compliance with applicable readability
standards.
Digest: The Act would set up a task force to study ways to prevent real property title fraud.
The Act would require a report to be turned in next year. (Flesch Readability Score: 87.0).
Creates the Task Force on Real Property Title Fraud Prevention to study methods for prevent-
ing title fraud upon transfers of real property.
Sunsets on December 31, 2026.
Declares an emergency, effective on passage.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to title fraud; and declaring an emergency.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1. (1) The Task Force on Real Property Title Fraud Prevention is established.
(2) The task force consists of at least 13 members appointed as follows:
(a) The President of the Senate shall appoint two nonvoting members from among
members of the Senate, one from the majority party and one from the minority party.
(b) The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint two nonvoting members
from among members of the House of Representatives, one from the majority party and one
from the minority party.
(c) The county clerk of Multnomah County shall serve ex officio but may appoint a
designee to represent the clerk’s office.
(d) The Governor shall appoint two members who are serving as county clerks at the
time of appointment, as follows:
(A) One county clerk of a mid-sized county; and
(B) One county clerk of a frontier or rural county.
(e) The Governor shall appoint four members as follows:
(A) One member representing licensed notary publics.
(B) One member representing title companies.
(C) One member representing real estate agents for residential property.
(D) One member representing commercial property owners.
(f) The Secretary of State shall appoint one member with expertise in public records
management.
(g) The Attorney General shall appoint one member from the Department of Justice who
can help identify changes needed in the criminal code related to real property title fraud.
(h) The task force may appoint other nonvoting members that it considers necessary or
convenient for the work of the task force.
(3) The task force shall identify:
NOTE:Matter in boldfaced type in an amended section is new; matter [italic and bracketed] is existing law to be omitted.
New sections are in boldfaced type.
LC 2120 SB391
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(a) The prevalence of real property title fraud in Oregon;
(b) Methods for preventing real property title fraud;
(c) The needs of county clerks and recorders with respect to enhancements and upgrades
to technology and their associated costs;
(d) Changes to the criminal code related to sentencing for theft through real property
title fraud; and
(e) Any other matters related to real property title fraud that the task force considers
necessary or convenient for the work of the task force.
(4) A majority of the voting members of the task force constitutes a quorum for the
transaction of business.
(5) Official action by the task force requires the approval of a majority of the voting
members of the task force.
(6) The task force shall elect one of its members to serve as chairperson.
(7) If there is a vacancy for any cause, the appointing authority shall make an appoint-
ment to become immediately effective. The departure of a nonvoting member appointed un-
der subsection (2)(h) of this section does not create a vacancy for purposes of this
subsection.
(8) The task force shall meet at times and places specified by the call of the chairperson
or of a majority of the voting members of the task force.
(9) The task force may adopt rules necessary for the operation of the task force.
(10) The task force shall submit a report in the manner provided by ORS 192.245, and
may include recommendations for legislation, to the interim committees of the Legislative
Assembly related to real property transactions no later than December 15, 2026.
(11) The Legislative Policy Research Director shall provide staff support to the task
force.
(12) Members of the Legislative Assembly appointed to the task force are nonvoting
members of the task force and may act in an advisory capacity only.
(13) Members of the task force who are not members of the Legislative Assembly are not
entitled to compensation or reimbursement for expenses and serve as volunteers on the task
force.
(14) All agencies of state government, as defined in ORS 174.111, are directed to assist
the task force in the performance of the duties of the task force and, to the extent permitted
by laws relating to confidentiality, to furnish information and advice the members of the task
force consider necessary to perform their duties.
SECTION 2. Section 1 of this 2025 Act is repealed on December 31, 2026.
SECTION 3.This 2025 Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public
peace, health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 2025 Act takes effect
on its passage.
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