Bill > HB1858

This bill eliminates the previous exemption for assignments or substitutions of previously recorded deeds of trust from two specific document recording fees: the $100 covenant homeownership program assessment and the $183 county auditor surcharge. By removing this exemption, these fees will now apply to assignments and substitutions of previously recorded deeds of trust, which are legal documents typically used in mortgage refinancing or transferring property loans. The bill amends two sections of the Revised Code of Washington (RCW 36.22.185 and 36.22.250) to make this change, effective January 1, 2024. The fees collected will continue to be distributed to various housing-related funds, including the home security fund account, the affordable housing for all account, and the landlord mitigation program account, which support initiatives such as homeless housing programs, rental assistance, emergency shelters, and supportive housing services. Other existing exemptions for certain documents like birth, marriage, divorce, and death records, as well as specific types of government and lien documents, remain unchanged.

Budget and Finance

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1858&Year=2025&Initiative=false