HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 05152001 - C.43 P TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
FROM: Stephen L. Weir, County Clerk-Recorder
DATE: April 11, 2001
SUBJECT: SUPPORT LEGISLATION AB 1641: ELECTRONIC
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RECORDING OF REAL PROPERTY DOCUMENTS
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)AND BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
ACTION RECOMMENDED AND REQUESTED
Approve a resolution in support of Assembly Bill 1641 pertaining to electronic recording of real property
documents.
BACKGROUND
Assembly Bill 1641 (Assembly Member John Campbell) would grant specified County Recorders the ,,
ability to electronically record real property documents submitted to their offices for recordation byt,,
licensed title insurance companies, major mortgage lenders as well as state and federal government:
agencies. AB 1641 would grant California County Recorders the right to electronically record real `!._
property documents submitted to their offices for recordation by licensed title insurance companies,
major mortgage lenders as well as state and federal government agencies.
An electronic recording pilot program authorized by the Legislature in 1996 (AB 3296)for Orange and
San Bernardino County Recorders has shown that service to the public is greatly enhanced and the
costs of those local government services are lowered by applying modern technology to a process that
has changed little, if at all, over the past 60 years. Also demonstrated by the results of the pilot
program, under which more than one million documents have been recorded electronically, is that
proper security measures employed within the electronic recording system reduce the risk of fraudulent
practices.
Among problems with traditional recording methodology is the excessive time consumed in recording,
usually measured in hours or days. Also, there is the time and expense entailed in transporting
documents via courier service to the Recorder's Office, then waiting in lines and on crowded highways,
a serious shortcoming in time-sensitive transactions. Electronic recording reduces the recordation
process to minutes and will eliminate lines and the need for couriers to and from the Recorder's Office.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: ® Yes SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
4,-`APPROVE _OTHER
SIGNATURE(S): ~
ACTION ON BOAR ON May 15, 2001 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS:
XX UNANIMOUS (ABSENT: ---- ) I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND
CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AND
AYES: NOES: ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
ATTESTED: May 15, 2001
JOHN SWEETEN, CLERK OF THE
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND
OUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
BY:
cc: Clerk-Recorder DEPUTY
' Board of Supervisors
April 11, 2001
Page 2
Consumers in this case, chiefly California homeowners and other buyers of real estate, have their
business tended to promptly and securely.
The need for modernization and employment of new technology in County Recorder's Offices in
California has been apparent to the Legislature for many years. As far back as 1984, for example, the
Legislature allowed Recorders to charge customers additional fees to be used solely for the automation
and modernization. The added fee charged to the public indicated the need to bring Recorders'
operations up to date.
The pilot program of Orange County proves without doubt that electronic recording can be of great
benefit to both the public and government. Electronic recording is simply a good government issue for
Contra Costa County.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no cost to the general fund although we anticipate cost savings in the future.
SLW:ceb
r:recorder's office\AB 1641.bos