"An Act relating to reconveyances of deeds of trust."

HB 421 is legislation proposed and requested by the Alaska Land Title Association (ALTA). The legislation would help to clear land records of paid off mortgage liens. In other words, after a mortgage (or deed of trust) has been paid off, a title insurance company could, through the procedures established in HB 421, record the reconveyance.

A title insurance company, acting as trustee under a deed of trust, could release (by deed of reconveyance) a lien after notice to the lender, if the title company paid off the deed of trust through a closing. The lender would be given 60 days to object to the proposed release of the lien.

HB 421, based on a law from the State of Idaho, would be helpful in "cleaning up" many old liens left unreleased by lenders who may be from out-of-state, or have closed. In Alaska, it is very common for the company servicing a mortgage on a home to be located outside of state.

By having this sort of law in place, the net result is a quicker closing and fewer hassles for sellers, lenders and agents. For example, any previous liens on the deed could be cleared away before they become burdensome on any future transactions or sales of the property.

The intent of this bill is to provide a clear and clean process allowing liens to be cleared from deeds after satisfactory evidence of payment has been presented to the title company. This does not establish any additional risks or opportunities for fraud, and it is not intended to create any unnecessary burdens upon mortgage lenders in Alaska.

23-LS1315D

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