TitleBytes News & Happenings
MLTA’s Marketable Title Legislation Passes Senate
Apr 5, 2018
By Cami Pendell, Michigan Legislative Consultants
In the last TitleBytes legislative update, I shared information on SB 671 (Jones). That is MLTA’s legislation which helps to clarify and strengthen the Marketable Title Act. Currently, the Marketable Title Act does not specifically define what kind of reference must be in a document to continue previously created restrictions. SB 671 addresses this by clarifying that a document in the 40-year chain of title continues a prior restriction only if it refers to the prior restriction by the liber and page where it is recorded in the register of deeds’ records.
Since the initial January 30th Senate Local Government Committee hearing on the bill, SB 671 progressed positively through the Senate. A second committee hearing took place on February 13th where the bill was reported out on a unanimous vote to the full Senate. The bill was then taken up by the entire Senate on February 21st and passed on a vote of 36-0.
Following Senate passage, the bill was transferred to the House of Representatives where it was referred to the Local Government Committee. When the legislature returns from its spring break in April, MLTA will begin to work with House committee members to educate them on the importance of this legislation. Once we have that working foundation established, we’ll seek a committee hearing to begin the legislative process on the House side.
The timing of these efforts nicely coincides with MLTA’s upcoming Legislative Day, which is scheduled for May 2, 2018. I hope you will considering taking part in this advocacy event because it is a great opportunity for you to meet your legislator and help to promote issues that are important to the title industry. (Editor’s note: this will make for a particularly easy and enjoyable topic to discuss with our legislators, once we are prepped! Be sure to join us in Lansing for our Legislative Day – it should be fun!) Register for MLTA Legislative Day now – CLICK HERE.