February 27, 2013
Bills Affecting Title Industry Have Been Filed
You should be aware of several pieces of legislation that have recently been filed that would impact our industry. Here's a quick description and a link to the bill language for each. TLTA is involved in analyzing and working with the interested parties on each of these bills, and we will continue to monitor the situation as more bills are filed before next week's filing deadline. See more about our positions on these bills below.
SB 650 would allow for transfers of owner's policies in additional circumstances.
HB 981 would require a district clerk to provide the public with an electronic copy of the index to civil cases, if the district clerk is maintaining this index in electronic form, in accordance with the cost rules prescribed by the attorney general.
SB 247 would reform procedures relating to the transfer of an ad valorem tax lien.
SJR 18 would authorize reverse mortgage loans for the purchase of homestead property and amend other requirements in connection with a reverse mortgage loan.
The TLTA Board of Directors recently voted to support SB 247 and SJR 18, and the TLTA Legislative Committee will soon review and recommend a position to the Board of Directors on SB 650 and HB 981, as well as any other new bills of interest. If you have any input for us on these bills, please email Kim Schoppert,
[email protected], so that we can share your thoughts with the committee.
The TLTA lobby team continues to work with stakeholders and related industries to seek support for legislation that is part of TLTA's affirmative agenda, which you may read about
here. Stay tuned to this newsletter for further updates, and if you would like to receive email notifications with links to live legislative hearings, please email
[email protected] to get added to the list.
With Water in the Spotlight, Texas Agriculture Stakes Its Claim
State Impact | February 26, 2013
When the 2013 Texas Ag Water Forum met today, it was no coincidence it met just a few blocks from the State Capitol. As lawmakers grapple with how to fund the State Water Plan, agricultural groups worry that their water needs might be sidelined this legislative session. There is an emerging consensus among legislators that the state should take around two billion dollars from the Texas Rainy Day Fund to put towards water projects.
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Bipartisan Group Lays Out Plan to Shutter Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac
Reuters | February 25, 2013
A bipartisan panel called on Monday for winding down government-controlled mortgage finance firms Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as part of an effort to have private lenders take on more of the risk of supplying credit to the U.S. housing market. The proposal from the Bipartisan Policy Center, a Washington-based think tank, aims to jump-start a stalled debate on the government's role in housing and help build a consensus for change.
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Corker Said to Seek Compromise Deal on CFPB
Market Watch | February 25, 2013
Sen. Bob Corker wants to broker another compromise deal on Capitol Hill. That’s according to a Politico article reporting that the Tennessee Republican is seeking to reach a compromise on the structure of the controversial Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, set up in the aftermath of the financial crisis of 2008 to regulate mortgages and other credit products.
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