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SB 2715

AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- FRAUD AND FALSE DEALING

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Jake Bissaillon and 9 co-sponsors

Creates felony real estate title fraud offenses, requires alert systems to notify owners of affected recordings, and tightens notary identity steps.

06/10/2026 Signed by Governor
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 2715

Summary of Bill SB 2715 (Rhode Island, 2026)

Summary purpose and intent

SB 2715, introduced in the Rhode Island General Assembly in 2026, establishes new offenses and administrative tools to combat real estate title fraud and suspicious real estate documents. It creates a specific felony offense for real estate title fraud, adds mechanisms for municipal recorders to address suspicious documents, and expands notarial act requirements related to identity proofing. The bill also requires municipalities to implement a property alert notification system to help property owners monitor activity on their property records. Overall, the measure aims to deter, detect, and remedy fraudulent filings in land records and improve notification and identification processes around real estate transactions.

Key provisions and changes

1) Real estate title fraud – Suspicious documents and instruments (new § 11-18-35)

  • Definitions (ample terminology broadened):
    • “Document” and “Instrument” cover deeds, mortgages, security interests, notes, and related instruments affecting real estate.
    • “Suspicious document” includes issues such as mismatch notary information, attempts to evade U.S. or state laws, nonconformance with recording standards, or submission by an unauthorized “trusted submitter.”
    • “Trusted submitter” includes: title insurers/agents, attorneys licensed in RI, and regulated financial institutions.
    • “Sufficient documentation” refers to government-issued IDs (e.g., drivers license, passport, military ID) and other professional identifications.
    • “Victim” means a person who suffers monetary or other losses due to the violation.
    • “Pattern of real estate title fraud” means multiple related acts with similar methods or effects.
  • Municipal filing requirements (effective Sept. 1, 2027):
    • Deeds, mortgages, or other instruments filed electronically from remote locations must be accompanied by sufficient identification or be submitted by a trusted submitter.
    • Municipal recorders may:
    • Temporarily delay suspicious documents (subject to court review if challenged).
    • Report suspicious documents to law enforcement.
    • Notify a notarial officer if a document was falsely verified.
  • Remedies for filings:
    • Filings that violate the above can be voidable by a court.
    • Public records are not intended to create liability for clerks acting in good faith.
  • Criminal penalties:
    • First offense: felony up to 10 years’ imprisonment and/or fines up to $50,000.
    • Pattern of real estate title fraud: felony up to 20 years and/or fines up to $100,000, plus potential restitution.
  • Civil remedies for property owners:
    • Victims may sue the filer for actual damages or $5,000 minimum, plus recover costs and attorneys’ fees.
    • Action may be brought against the individual who filed the false/forged document, not the recorder (who acts in good faith).
  • Not intended to create a cause of action against public officials for good-faith actions or third-party information used by clerks.

2) Property alert notifications – Property owners (new § 11-18-36)

  • Implementation deadline: Municipalities must establish a property alert notification system by January 1, 2028.
  • Owner enrollment and notifications:
    • Enrolled property owners receive a notification within 10 business days of recording any document affecting their property.
    • Notifications must identify the document’s nature, property address or tax ID, and recording information.
    • Owners can choose delivery via mail, text, phone call, or email.
    • Enrollment is free.
  • Educational outreach: Municipalities may distribute information about deed fraud and the alert system.
  • Indexing and public accessibility:
    • Municipalities may create an index or log of recorded documents with property identifiers, notarial officer details, and the document submitter.
    • The recorder is not liable for violations of the alert system rules.
    • The index/log can be publicly searchable like other land records.
  • Liability: Municipalities are not liable for violations in setting up or operating the alert system, and individuals generally have no private right of action against municipalities for these provisions.

3) Notarial Acts – Authority to refuse to perform notarial act (amendment to § 42-30.1-7)

  • Notarial officers may refuse to perform notarial acts if:
    • The individual lacks capacity or competence to execute the record.
    • Identity proofing information is insufficient or the individual does not consent to identity proofing costs.
  • Refusal rules aligned with appropriate law.

4) Effective date

  • The act takes effect upon passage.

Who and what is affected

  • Notaries and notarial acts: Adjusted standards for refusing notarizations based on competence, capacity, and identity proofing.
  • Municipal recorders and land record systems: New procedures for handling suspicious documents, remote electronic filings, and the potential temporary delays; creation of property alert systems and public indexes/logs.
  • Property owners and the public: New right to enroll in free property alert systems and receive timely notices of documents affecting their property; ability to pursue civil remedies for fraud.
  • Filers of real estate documents: Potential criminal penalties for real estate title fraud; increased risk of civil and administrative action for false or forged filings.
  • Trust entities (title insurers, attorneys, regulated financial institutions): Defined as “trusted submitters” under the suspicious document framework.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Effective date: Upon passage.
  • Administrative rollout:
    • September 1, 2027: Real estate title fraud filing protections for electronic remote filings take effect (sufficient documentation or trusted submitter required).
    • January 1, 2028: Municipalities must implement property alert notification systems.
  • Enforcement: Criminal penalties apply to offenses under § 11-18-35(d) and (f); civil remedies available to victims under § 11-18-35(g).

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Strengthens safeguards against real estate title fraud and forged documents.
  • Enhances early warning capabilities for property owners through alert systems.
  • Shifts some risk and enforcement toward filers and notaries, with protections for good-faith clerks.
  • Requires investments from municipalities to implement alert systems and maintain logs/indexes.
  • Increases due diligence requirements for remote electronic filings in land records.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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