This bill makes several changes to the laws relating to county recorders of deeds, including establishing that all counties use the same procedure for the election of recorders of deeds beginning in the year 2002.
Current law requires elected clerks and recorders to enter into bond to the state.
This bill relieves clerks from that obligation. The recorder of deeds will no longer take and certify the relinquishments of dower of married women. The bill requires every recorder of deeds to be liable on his or her bond for all fees collected and not accounted for and paid into the county treasury. The State Treasurer will make disbursements to qualifying counties to subsidize fees collected by third classification counties. Supporters say that the office of recorder and circuit clerk need to be separated.