This bill proposes an increase in the fees charged by county clerks and recorders for recording documents, as well as an increase in the deposit to the records preservation fund. Specifically, the fee for recording a standard document will be adjusted to $20 for the first page and $10 for each additional page. Additionally, beginning July 1, 2027, the Department of Revenue will have the authority to adjust these fees biennially based on an inflation factor derived from the consumer price index. The bill also mandates that $2 of the fee collected be deposited into the records preservation fund.

The bill amends several sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA), including changes to the language regarding recording fees and the establishment of the records preservation fund. Notably, it specifies that the county clerk and recorder will be responsible for managing the fund and using it for records preservation. The effective date for the new fee structure and provisions will be October 1, 2025, and it will apply to documents recorded on or after that date.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 7-4-2632, 7-4-2635, 7-4-2637
HB0192_1(1): 7-4-2632, 7-4-2635, 7-4-2637
HB0192_1(2): 7-4-2632, 7-4-2635, 7-4-2637
HB0192_1(3): 7-4-2632, 7-4-2635, 7-4-2637
HB0192_1(4): 7-4-2632, 7-4-2635, 7-4-2637
HB0192_1: 7-4-2632, 7-4-2635, 7-4-2637