House committee advances bill to remove county disclosure requirement for mobile‑home title cancellations

Representative John Singh asked the Education Committee to pass House Bill 255, which would delete county‑level disclosure language from the statute governing cancellation of manufactured‑home titles and the process of classifying mobile or manufactured homes as real property.

The bill would remove a line from statute 31 2 5 0 2 that currently allows county clerks to require additional information when a person surrenders a title for cancellation. Singh said the change would force counties to rely on the state form (identified in testimony as MB303) and would bring a uniform process across Wyoming.

Supporters said county checklists and extra steps make manufactured homes harder to sell and harder to finance. Katie Koontz, a mortgage lender with Jonah Bank of Wyoming, told the committee that inconsistent county practices can make otherwise marketable homes “unlendable,” because county forms or extra requirements can break documentary chains (for example, vehicle identification or historical records) lenders need to verify collateral.

Laurie Erbikite of the Wyoming Realtors and the Wyoming Housing Alliance and Kathy Claywell of Townsquare Title of Wyoming said streamlining the process would reduce transaction friction and limit circumstances in which a manufactured home cannot move through normal title and lending channels.

Opponents, including Scott Meyer with the Wyoming Bankers Association, said the deleted sentence helps banks and title professionals confirm that the mobile home on a parcel is the correct unit and located where the paperwork says. Melissa Jones, Crook County clerk testifying for the Clerks Association, said most clerks use the state form but rely on the statutory language in question when they need to help customers complete Question 6 on MB303, request photos or require a physical inspection to verify the correct home is being surrendered.

Committee members questioned whether the county practices are widespread and whether a simple repeal would create new problems. Singh said counties are inconsistent — some charge fees (he cited a $25 fee in Laramie County and a required visit to local DOT or sheriff to verify the unit) while others rely only on the state form — and that uniformity would reduce barriers for people converting a manufactured home to real property.

After discussion the committee voted to advance the bill. Roll call in committee recorded eight ayes and one no; Representative Bratton voted no. The committee’s tally was announced as “8 aye, 1 no.” House Bill 255 passed the committee and will go forward for further consideration.

The bill text, as discussed in committee, keeps the state form (MB303) as the baseline and removes the county‑level sentence in statute 31 2 5 0 2 that currently allows clerks to require additional disclosure when a title is surrendered.

If enacted, sponsors and supporters said, the change is intended to make it simpler for Wyoming residents — particularly first‑time homebuyers who buy manufactured housing — to convert and finance their homes.

Speakers in the hearing included Representative John Singh (bill sponsor), Scott Meyer (Wyoming Bankers Association), Melissa Jones (Crook County Clerk, speaking for the Clerks Association), Laurie Erbikite (Wyoming Realtors/Wyoming Housing Alliance), Katie Koontz (Jonah Bank of Wyoming), and Kathy Claywell (Townsquare Title of Wyoming).