A 2744: Requires the commissioner of the department of taxation and finance to establish and maintain a system for use by the clerk of each county in the state outside of the city of New York that provides the ability for the clerk to send notification to any interested party that a deed-related or mortgage-related document affecting such party's interest in real property located in the state has been recorded against such property with the office of the clerk of the county in which the real property is situated; provides for registration for notification by interested parties.
The bill aims to improve the recording of documents related to real estate in counties outside the city of New York. It establishes a system that requires county clerks to notify interested parties, such as property owners, about the recording of certain documents, including deeds and mortgages. Interested parties can register with the county clerk to receive notifications by mail, email, or SMS. The system does not create an enforceable right to receive notifications, and the failure to provide notifications does not result in liability for the county clerk or the state. The bill also requires the department of taxation and finance to conduct outreach to property owners about the provisions of the law.
| Jan. 07, 2026 | referred to housing |
| Jan. 22, 2025 | referred to housing |
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 2744 2025-2026 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY January 22, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. JACOBSON -- read once and referred to the Commit- tee on Housing AN ACT to amend the real property law, in relation to notice of record- ing of certain documents relating to real estate in counties outside the city of New York The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The real property law is amended by adding a new section 2 291-k to read as follows: 3 § 291-k. Notice of the recording of certain documents relating to real 4 property. 1. As used in this section: 5 (a) "deed-related document" includes, but is not limited to, a deed, 6 air rights, condemnation proceeding agreement, condominium declaration, 7 confirmatory deed, contract of sale, correction deed, court order, in 8 rem deed, judgment, life estate deed, memorandum of contract, power of 9 attorney, real estate investment trust deed, revocation of power of 10 attorney, sundry agreement, unit assignment and any other document that 11 may be designated as deed-related by the commissioner of taxation and 12 finance; 13 (b) "interested party" means the property owner, the property owner's 14 agent or attorney or designee, the property lienor, the property 15 lienor's agent or attorney, the executor or administrator of the estate 16 of the owner or lienor of the property, the agent or attorney of the 17 executor or administrator of the estate of the owner or lienor of the 18 property and any other individual that may be designated by the commis- 19 sioner of taxation and finance; and 20 (c) "mortgage-related document" includes, but is not limited to, a 21 mortgage, collateral mortgage, mortgage and consolidation, mortgage 22 spreader agreement, satisfaction of mortgage, subordination of mortgage, 23 sundry mortgage, UCC-1 (financing statement), and any other document EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD05481-01-5A. 2744 2 1 that may be designated as mortgage-related by the commissioner of taxa- 2 tion and finance. 3 2. (a) The department of taxation and finance shall establish and 4 maintain a system for use by the clerk of each county in the state that 5 provides the ability for the clerk to send notification to any inter- 6 ested party that a deed-related or mortgage-related document affecting 7 such party's interest in real property located in the state has been 8 recorded against such property with the office of the clerk of the coun- 9 ty in which the real property is situated. The provisions of this 10 section shall not apply to counties located within a city having a popu- 11 lation of one million or more persons. 12 (b) To receive the notification described in paragraph (a) of this 13 subdivision, an interested party may register with the office of the 14 clerk of the county where real property is situated, in a format promul- 15 gated by the commissioner of taxation and finance. 16 (c) In the event that a deed-related or mortgage-related document has 17 been recorded against such property, the office of the county clerk, to 18 the extent practicable, will send notice to the interested party. The 19 notice shall be sent by first class mail. Notice shall also be sent to 20 the interested party by email and/or SMS (text) provided the owner 21 provides an email address and/or a mobile number. 22 (d) The notification to the interested party shall include information 23 on actions such interested party could take if such interested party 24 suspects that a fraudulent document has been recorded, including but not 25 limited to, information about whom to contact for assistance, filing a 26 complaint or reporting an alleged criminal violation. Neither the 27 department of taxation and finance nor the county clerk shall charge a 28 fee for use of such notification system. 29 3. Nothing in this section shall be construed to create an enforceable 30 right in any individual to receive the notice described in subdivision 31 two of this section. The failure of a county clerk's office to provide 32 the notice described in this section, or the failure of a real property 33 owner to receive such a notice shall not: 34 (a) result in any liability of the county clerk's office, the county 35 where the real property is situated, the department of taxation and 36 finance or the state; 37 (b) prevent the levy, collection and enforcement of taxes on the 38 affected real property; 39 (c) invalidate any proceedings or filings with respect to the affected 40 real property; and 41 (d) prevent the state of New York from taking any actions under or 42 enforcing any provision of law or rule. 43 4. The department of taxation and finance shall conduct outreach to 44 property owners in the state about the provisions of this section. 45 § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed- 46 ing the date upon which it shall have become a law. Effective immediate- 47 ly, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation 48 necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are 49 authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.