The bill amends various sections of the Iowa Code to improve the management and accessibility of county land records while ensuring the protection of personally identifiable information. Key changes include the establishment of an electronic services system that will develop and maintain a county land record information system, providing electronic filing services and shielding services for qualified individuals. The governing board of this system is prohibited from charging fees for viewing or accessing documents unless specifically authorized, but may charge for processing electronic documents. Additionally, counties are no longer required to pay fees to recorders for filing or recording instruments. The bill introduces new definitions and requirements for information shielding, allowing qualified individuals, such as peace officers and victims of domestic abuse, to request that their information be restricted from public access.

Furthermore, the bill revises the fee structure for recording documents, increasing the fee from five to ten dollars per page and introducing a maximum fee of two hundred fifty dollars for documents with twenty-five or more pages. It mandates that a portion of the fees collected be allocated to a technology advancement fund to improve recording and archiving capabilities. The bill also specifies that counties must upload recorded documents to a statewide search website and outlines the responsibilities of county recorders in maintaining transparency regarding the fees collected and their usage. Overall, the legislation aims to enhance the efficiency of land record management in Iowa while prioritizing the safety and privacy of individuals involved.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 331.601A, 441.29, 331.603, 331.604, 331.605, 331.606A, 801.4, 331.606B, 355.7, 355.12, 331.612
Reprinted: 331.601A, 354.4, 331.603, 331.604, 331.605, 331.606A, 801.4, 331.606B, 355.7, 355.12, 331.612