05/23/2023

County Recorders Advocate for Modernization Initiative

On May 23, 2023, Bryan Long, the Licking County Recorder and Chairman of the Ohio Recorders’ Association Legislative Committee, delivered testimony to the Senate Financial Institutions and Technology Committee at the Ohio State House. The purpose of Senate Bill 94 is to propel the modernization of electronic records and conveyances in County Recorders’ offices statewide by proposing several amendments to the Ohio Revised Code affecting Recorders’ Offices.

Mr. Long informed the Senate Financial Institutions and Technology Committee that the ORA has been diligently crafting legislation to tackle this issue for several years. "Since the onset of the pandemic, the necessity to advance technology to ensure online accessibility of records and streamline conveyances through eRecording has become increasingly evident," he stated.

While some counties have utilized CARES Act funding over the past few years to digitize old record books, there remains additional work to be completed. SB 94 aims to sustain this momentum by setting a standardized requirement in the Ohio Revised Code for all County Recorders to digitize, index, and make available online images of recorded documents dating back to January 1, 1980. The choice of 1980 is strategic, as most title searches extend at least 40 years into the past to ascertain a clear title of ownership and to facilitate the issuance of title insurance policies