Senate Bill 94, which promises to modernize (and standardize) how county records are preserved and made available to the public, was passed by Ohio’s House of Representatives on June 26, 2024, having previously been passed by the Senate in early May. Among other things, Senate Bill 94 requires county recorders in all 88 counties to both (i) establish a method for electronically recording instruments and (ii) make its indices and recorded instruments dating back to 1980 available to the public electronically by June 30, 2026. County auditors and engineers will also be required to facilitate electronic recording of instruments related to real estate conveyances. In addition to $6 million in funding provided by the state, county recorders are authorized to charge a document preservation surcharge of up to $5 to support the continued preservation and digitization of records. The bill is currently awaiting Governor DeWine’s signature.
For additional information, see the legislation here.