An Act To Change Document Filing Fees for County Registries of Deeds

Emergency preamble. Whereas,  acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and

Whereas,  filing fees for documents recorded at registries of deeds provide revenues for maintaining vital land records of the State and for county administration; and

Whereas,  other revenue sources counties use to maintain the information and to make it accessible have proven unreliable owing to ongoing legal challenges; and

Whereas,  the changes to the document filing fees made in this legislation need to be made as soon as possible in order to ensure continued funding for maintaining vital land records of the State and for county administration; and

Whereas,  in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,

Sec. 1. 33 MRSA §751, sub-§1,  as amended by PL 2005, c. 246, §1, is further amended to read:

Sec. 2. 33 MRSA §751, sub-§9,  as amended by PL 2005, c. 246, §2, is further amended to read:

Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.

SUMMARY

This bill increases the fee for recording an instrument, including plans, at all registries of deeds by $12.