Legislative Developments

Introduced to the Kentucky General Assembly on Jan. 9 and currently in senate committee, a state bill would define terms and create legal mechanisms for partition sales among cotenants.

The Maryland State Senate is considering a bill that would repeal and re-enact several sections of the Annotated Code of Maryland to update definitions, clarify requirements and modernize procedures for the filing, maintenance and transmission of land records.

As the Federal Housing Finance Agency moves forward with an initiative to waive lender title insurance requirements for select Fannie Mae loans, members of Congress from both sides of the aisle continue to call for greater scrutiny and oversight.

Missouri legislators are considering a bill that would set comprehensive, state-level safety and preparedness standards for data security and cybersecurity investigations conducted by licensees working on behalf of insurers.

A bill has been introduced to the Missouri General Assembly that would expand the definition of “certified funds” in the statute regulating the use of funds by real estate settlement and title insurance agents.

A bill has been introduced to the Missouri General Assembly that would create The Real Property Fraud Prevention Act.

The Nevada Legislature is considering revisions to provisions relating to requests for public records.

The Nevada Legislature is considering revisions to provisions related to notaries public and document preparation services, including adopting a code of professional responsibility.

A group of U.S. House representatives, led by members of the bipartisan Congressional Real Estate Caucus, asked the Federal Housing Finance Agency to halt its Title Acceptance Pilot program until the agency seeks public input and the program is thoroughly vetted.

A Texas state representative and title company owner plans to introduce two bills aimed at prohibiting foreign entities identified as a risk to national security from purchasing or acquiring title to property in the state.