House Bill 2080 advanced through the House Government Committee this week, earning unanimous bipartisan support. The bill, which is sponsored by State Representative Selina Bliss (R-AZ), is designed to shield Arizona homeowners from deed and title fraud.
Deed fraud occurs when someone falsifies or forges property documents to illegally transfer ownership of a home or business, sometimes without the actual owner discovering the crime until significant damage has already been done.
Rep. Bliss, who chairs the House Health and Human Services Committee, framed the legislation as a matter of protecting what most families work their entire lives to build.
"Deed fraud is a direct attack on a person's home, their savings, and the work of a lifetime," Bliss said.
HB 2080 addresses the issue through several coordinated measures. Anyone filing a property document in person at a county recorder's office or a recording kiosk must present valid photo identification.
The requirement carries notable privacy protections; recorders would be prohibited from retaining copies of the ID, and any identifying details collected during the transaction would be designated confidential and shielded from public records requests.
Additionally, escrow and title professionals, financial institutions, licensed attorneys, and government entities would be exempt from the ID requirement.
The legislation also directs county assessors to establish a voluntary opt-in alert system by January 1, 2027. This allows property owners to receive notifications whenever a change in ownership or mailing address is recorded on their property, providing an early opportunity to catch suspicious activity before it escalates.
The bill also substantially increases the legal consequences for fraud.
Filing a knowingly forged or false real estate document would be elevated from a class 1 misdemeanor to a class 4 felony.
Furthermore, notaries would be required to record a signer's thumbprint, or an alternative fingerprint when necessary, in their journal for real property documents and powers of attorney.
“This bill protects homeowners and puts criminals on notice,” Bliss concluded, as the bill now moves forward to a full vote of the Arizona House.
