SENATE, No. 3188

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Senator  ROBERT W. SINGER

District 30 (Monmouth and Ocean)

Co-Sponsored by:

Senator McKnight

SYNOPSIS

     Requires county recording officer, in coordination with Motor Vehicle Commission, to establish alert service to notify participating property owners of recording of certain documents that affect the property.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

An Act enhancing protections against fraudulent recordings on properties and supplementing chapter 26A of Title 46 of the Revised Statutes.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

     1.  a.  As used in this section:

     "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Community Affairs.

     "Manufactured home" means a structure for which the manufacturer has filed a certification required by the Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development pursuant to 42 U.S.C. s.5415 and which complies with the federal standards established pursuant to the National Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 (42. U.S.C. s.5401 et seq.).

     b.  A county recording officer shall, in coordination with the Chief Administrator of the Motor Vehicle Commission, establish a property alert service in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the Commissioner of Community Affairs.  The property alert service shall be offered to owners of real property, and owners of manufactured homes.  The rules and regulations of the commissioner shall require the information sharing necessary for the property alert service to function efficiently.  If a property owner is participating in the property alert service in accordance with subsection c. of this section, the alert service shall notify the participating owner within seven days of recording, whenever a lien, deed, or any other document that affects the property, has been recorded with either the county recording officer or with the Motor Vehicle Commission. 

     c.  The property alert service shall allow a participating property owner to voluntarily participate by submitting information on the owner’s preferred mailing address or e-mail address, or both, through which to be notified through the service.  A county recording officer shall be permitted to charge a fee, not to exceed $10 per property per year, for participation in the property alert service. 

     2.  In accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), on or before the first day of the fifth month next following enactment of P.L.    , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), the Commissioner of Community Affairs shall, in consultation with the Chief Administrator of the Motor Vehicle Commission, adopt the rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of P.L.    , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

     3.  This act shall take effect on the first day of the fifth month next following enactment.

STATEMENT

     This bill requires a county recording officer, in coordination with the Chief Administrator of the Motor Vehicle Commission, to establish a property alert service (service) to enhance protections against fraudulent recordings of liens, deeds, and other documents on properties.  A "county recording officer" is also known as a "register of deeds and mortgages" in some counties, and a "county clerk" in the others.  The property alert service is to be offered to owners of real property, and owners of manufactured homes, as defined in the bill. 

     The property alert service is to notify a participating property owner within seven days of recording, whenever a lien, deed, or any other document that affects property, has been recorded.  The service is to allow a participating property owner to submit information on the owner’s preferred mailing address or e-mail address, or both, through which to be notified.  The bill permits a county recording officer to charge a fee, not to exceed $10 per property per year, for participation in the service to pay for the costs of administering the bill.

     The bill directs the Commissioner of Community Affairs, in consultation with the Chief Administrator of the Motor Vehicle Commission, to adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of the bill on or before the first day of the fifth month following enactment.  The bill requires the rules and regulations of the commissioner to provide for the information sharing necessary for the property alert service to function efficiently.  The bill is to take effect on the first day of the fifth month following enactment.