Capitol Lien’s Customer Service Manager, Tom Hauer, had the opportunity to meet with Senators Doron Clark and Mary Kunesh during the Minnesota Land Title Association (MLTA) 2025 Day at the Capitol. This annual event allows industry professionals to engage directly with state legislators and advocate for key legislative priorities affecting the real estate and title industry.
This year, MLTA is prioritizing two non-partisan legislative initiatives:
Mortgage Payoff Legislation – HF704 (Freiberg)
A critical part of real estate transactions is ensuring mortgage payoffs are honored. However, some lenders refuse to accept previously issued payoff statements, causing unexpected delays, increased costs, and even foreclosure risks for buyers. The proposed legislation—modeled after Wisconsin’s laws and the Uniform Law Commission’s Residential Mortgage Satisfaction Act—aims to ensure lenders honor their written payoff statements, bringing fairness and reliability to Minnesota’s real estate market.
Judicial Privacy Legislation – HF2127 (Curran) / SF2039 (Latz, Limmer)
While protecting judicial branch employees’ personal information is important, shielding real property records could disrupt essential land transactions. MLTA is actively working within a stakeholder workgroup to ensure privacy protections are balanced with the need for publicly accessible property records, which are crucial for establishing ownership and encumbrances. The ongoing discussion highlights concerns about expanding record shielding to additional groups, which could make managing public records increasingly complex.
Capitol Lien remains committed to supporting industry efforts that promote transparency, security, and efficiency in real estate transactions. We appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with MLTA and advocate for legislative improvements that benefit property owners, lenders, and industry professionals alike.