Titus County clerk briefs Mount Pleasant council on Senate Bill 16; mandatory ID checks for real-property filings

Leslie Brosnan, Titus County Clerk, briefed the Mount Pleasant City Council on Senate Bill 16 during the Oct. 21 meeting, explaining how the law changes county recording procedures and provides new defenses and remedies for victims of deed fraud.

Brosnan said the law requires clerks to check and retain a photocopy of the ID from any person who submits documents to be filed in the county real-property records (including deeds and liens). She said the ID need not belong to the landowner; it may belong to an agent or title-company representative who files the document. The county clerk's office will store the ID in a separate folder tied to the document number so the photocopy will not be part of the public record.

Brosnan said the statute allows clerks to reject filings from persons who refuse to present an acceptable ID and expands criminal penalties for real-property fraud and theft, clarifies notary standards (including training and recordkeeping), and creates measures to ease restitution and voiding of fraudulent deeds for victims, including fee waivers for court filings in appropriate cases. She also said title companies and foreclosure firms must provide IDs when filing.

Council members asked how the requirement applies when title companies or other firms file documents; Brosnan said title-company employees must also present acceptable IDs and the office monitors renewals. She described acceptable identification as a valid U.S. state-issued driver's license or state ID; military IDs are also acceptable.

Brosnan framed the change as a protection for landowners and county records, and she commended county staff for their public-facing service.

The council did not take formal action on the briefing; it was provided for information and implementation awareness.