Bill Text: GA HB237 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Comm Sub

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Residential mortgage fraud; mortgage lending process; revise definition

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 6-0)

Status: (Passed) 2012-07-01 - Effective Date [HB237 Detail]

Download: Georgia-2011-HB237-Comm_Sub.html

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11 LC 29 4645S

The House Committee on Judiciary Non-civil offers the following substitute to
HB 237:

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT

To amend Article 5 of Chapter 8 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to residential mortgage fraud, so as revise the definition of "mortgage lending process"; to change provisions relating to the offense of mortgage fraud; to provide for investigative and subpoena powers of district attorneys and the Attorney General relative to residential mortgage fraud; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.

Article 5 of Chapter 8 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to residential mortgage fraud, is amended by revising paragraph (1) of Code Section 16-8-101, relating to definitions, as follows:

"(1) 'Mortgage lending process' means the process through which a person seeks or obtains a residential mortgage loan including, but not limited to, solicitation, application, or origination, negotiation of terms, third-party provider services, underwriting, signing and closing, and funding of the loan. Such term shall also include the execution of deeds under power of sale that are required to be recorded pursuant to Code Section 44-14-160 and the execution of assignments that are required to be recorded pursuant to subsection (b) of Code Section 44-14-162. Documents involved in the mortgage lending process include, but are shall not be limited to, uniform residential loan applications or other loan applications; appraisal reports; HUD-1 settlement statements; supporting personal documentation for loan applications such as W-2 forms, verifications of income and employment, bank statements, tax returns, and payroll stubs; and any required disclosures."

SECTION 2.

Said article is further amended by revising the undesignated paragraph at the end of Code Section 16-8-102, relating to the offense of residential mortgage fraud, as follows:

"An offense of residential mortgage fraud shall not be predicated solely upon information lawfully disclosed under federal disclosure laws, regulations, and interpretations related to the mortgage lending process nor upon truthful information contained in documents filed with the official registrar of deeds of any county of this state for the stated purpose of correcting scrivener's errors, mistakes, inadvertent misstatements, or omissions contained in previously filed documents."

SECTION 3.

Said article is further amended by revising Code Section 16-8-104, relating to the authority to investigate and prosecute for residential mortgage fraud, as follows:

"16-8-104.

(a) District attorneys and the Attorney General shall have the authority to conduct the criminal investigation and prosecution of all cases of residential mortgage fraud under this article or under any other provision of this title. Nothing in this Code section shall be construed to preclude otherwise authorized law enforcement agencies from conducting investigations of offenses related to residential mortgage fraud.

(b) In any investigation of a violation of this article, the Attorney General or any district attorney shall be authorized to issue a subpoena to compel the production of any books, papers, documents, or other tangible things, including records and documents contained within, or generated by, a computer or other electronic device.

(c) Upon the failure of a person without lawful excuse to obey a subpoena, the Attorney General or district attorney may apply to a superior court having jurisdiction for an order compelling compliance. Such person may move to modify or quash the subpoena on any legal or constitutional basis. The court may issue an order modifying or quashing such subpoena or directing compliance with the original subpoena. Failure to obey a subpoena issued pursuant to this Code section may be punished by the court as contempt of court."

SECTION 4.

All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.