TitleBytes News & Happenings

The August Primary and Looking Forward

By Cami Pendell, MLC

When Cami submitted this article, it was just before the August Primary Election.

As I’ve been travelling around the state meeting with candidates and their staff, they all have one thing in common. They can’t wait for the August 7th primary election to be over. While we tend to look at the election from our perspective of receiving mailers, requests for campaign contributions, watching tv ads, social media outreach, endorsements, newspaper articles, etc., it helps to step back and view it from the candidate’s perspective. For them, it’s an exhausting and very expensive endeavor. After the primary election is over, especially if you live in district that is considered competitive, you may want to reach out to the primary elections winners in your area and congratulate them. It’s a great way for them to hear from you and it helps MLTA to continue to build relationships from the grassroots on up. Additionally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you that contributed to the MLTA PAC. You’re helping the association to back candidates that support the land title industry, have a voice in the campaign process and to build relationships with legislators and candidates in a fast moving, term-limited environment. Thank you for your generosity!
Even though the primary election is just around the corner, MLTA continues to work on the legislative front. Recently, we learned that the House of Representatives has modified its Session calendar which will impact the time we have left for committee hearings and floor votes. As you’re no doubt aware, the Legislature has been on summer recess since June 12th. Initially, they were scheduled to return to full Session for the month of September, but the House announced a shorten Session calendar. Instead of meeting for 12 session days, they reduced it to 8 days. However, they did extend their December schedule to include December 18, 19 and 20th. Depending on what takes place during the November General Election, we may see further changes to the schedule as they enter Lame Duck.

While keeping the Session schedule in mind, MLTA is continuing to work on several legislative issues. One such issue is SB 671, which provides clarity to the Marketable Title Act by requiring that a document carrying forward a prior property restriction would have to reference the book and page where that restriction is recorded in the register of deeds records. MLTA has been working with Sen. Jones and other stakeholders on amendatory language to the bill. Once that process is complete, we will work with House Local Government Committee Chairman, Rep. James Lower, to see if we can coordinate a fall committee hearing on the bill. It will be challenging given the reduction in Session days, but we do have until the end of the year to complete it. We’re also working on developing legislation that will work in conjunction with the remote online notary legislation (now Public Act 330 of 2018) and the pending e-notary package to help ensure these types of documents are recorded by the register of deeds. Senators MacGregor and Hertel have committed to work with MLTA and bring other interested parties to the table to work on this issue. Given the short amount of time left in this legislative cycle, this is an effort that will likely extend into 2019.