The bill proposes to repeal the existing section 59.319 of Missouri law and replace it with a new section that establishes a user fee structure for recorders of deeds. Under the new provisions, a user fee of four dollars will be charged for the recording of any instrument, with two dollars retained by the recorder for a dedicated fund for record storage and preservation. Additionally, an increased fee of nine dollars will be charged for specific instruments, which will also be forwarded to the state treasury. The bill emphasizes that the recorder's fund must be used specifically for its intended purposes and cannot be substituted for general revenue allocations without the recorder's consent. Furthermore, the bill outlines how the collected fees will be allocated. One dollar from the four-dollar fee will be credited to the newly created "Missouri Land Survey Fund," which will support land survey activities. Another dollar will be directed to the secretary of state for local records preservation, while the entirety of the nine-dollar fee will be allocated to the Missouri housing trust fund. The bill also ensures that any unexpended balances in these funds will not revert to the general revenue fund at the end of the fiscal year, allowing for continued investment in these initiatives.

Statutes affected:
Introduced (6003H.01): 59.319