Florida Senate - 2024                                     SB 526
       
       
        
       By Senator Pizzo
       
       
       
       
       
       37-01205-24                                            2024526__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to title fraud prevention; creating s.
    3         696.031, F.S.; creating a pilot program in Broward
    4         County; providing a definition; requiring certain
    5         parties to provide specified information to the
    6         property appraiser; requiring the property appraiser
    7         to make certain notifications to specified parties;
    8         providing that certain action or inaction does not
    9         give rise to liability; requiring participating
   10         property appraisers to submit a report to specified
   11         parties containing certain information; providing for
   12         future repeal; providing an effective date.
   13          
   14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   15  
   16         Section 1. Section 696.031, Florida Statutes, is created to
   17  read:
   18         696.031 Title fraud prevention through sales contract
   19  notification services; pilot program.—
   20         (1) As used in this section, the term “property appraiser”
   21  means the property appraiser for Broward County.
   22         (2) Upon execution of a real property contract and before
   23  the execution of the real property conveyance instrument, real
   24  estate brokers as defined in s. 475.01(1), title agents, and
   25  attorneys involved in the transfer of real property are
   26  encouraged to furnish to the property appraiser a seller’s name,
   27  mailing address, e-mail address, and phone number, as such
   28  information appears within the contract.
   29         (3) The property appraiser shall notify land record
   30  notification service registrants, as defined in s. 28.47(1),
   31  that a contract for the sale or purchase of the real estate has
   32  been executed. The purpose of the notification service is to
   33  confirm the seller’s identity to ensure the integrity of the
   34  real estate transaction.
   35         (4) There is no right or cause of action against, and no
   36  civil liability on the part of, real estate brokers as defined
   37  in s. 475.01, title agents, attorneys, or the property appraiser
   38  with respect to the creation, maintenance, and operation of a
   39  sales contract notification service or land record notification
   40  service, or for providing information to the property appraiser
   41  under this section.
   42         (5) By July 1, 2026, the property appraiser must report to
   43  the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of
   44  the House of Representatives the following information:
   45         (a) The number of real estate brokers, title agents, and
   46  attorneys who provided information to the property appraiser
   47  under this section.
   48         (b) The number of times a seller’s contact information was
   49  provided to the property appraiser under this section.
   50         (c) The property appraiser’s recommendation as to whether
   51  the sales contract notification service is appropriate to
   52  recommend throughout the state as an effective tool to combat
   53  title fraud.
   54         (d) Any other information the property appraiser deems
   55  necessary.
   56         (6) This section is repealed on July 1, 2026.
   57         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.