CS/CS/HB 1383 - Tax Deed Sales Summary

• Requires tax certificateholders (other than counties) to pay all costs to bring property to sale within 30 days of notice or face cancellation of the tax deed application; cancelled applications accrue interest at the certificate's bid rate.

• Authorizes tax collectors to contract with title or abstract companies for property information reports to identify parties requiring notice before tax deed sales, with fees collected at time of application and added to opening bid.

• Establishes 120-day claim period for interested parties to file notarized claims for surplus funds from tax deed sales, with specific forms and delivery methods (mail, commercial delivery, fax, or email); claims filed after deadline are barred.

• Requires clerk to mail notice of surplus funds to identified parties and distribute funds according to priority of liens, with governmental liens paid before non-governmental claimants; unclaimed funds after 120 days presumed to belong to legal titleholder and processed as unclaimed property.

• Authorizes tax deed recipients to directly pay off governmental liens and receive reimbursement from surplus funds with proof of payment filed as timely claim; applies to applications filed on or after October 1, 2018.