Public access to deeds questioned
Two bills before the Legislature that aim to keep registry of deeds documents out of public domain could affect a Cumberland business's efforts to launch a statewide land record website.
The two bills, LD 1554 and LD 1714, would exempt registry of deeds documents from the Freedom of Access Act and remove them from public records and inspection, according to The Forecaster. The bills are in response to the efforts of John Simpson, owner and general manager of MacImage of Maine, who wants to establish a website that would allow people to access all counties' registry of deeds information online for free. Simpson won a lawsuit against Hancock County last year to gain access to the county's records, and has since sued other Maine counties that have not agreed to provide those records.
Rep. Patsy Crockett, D-Augusta, the sponsor of LD 1554, said counties have traditionally charged taxpayers for these documents, and that Simpson could sell the information for a profit, according to the paper. She also expressed concern over the security and accuracy of the information that would be presented online.
Go to the article from The Forecaster >>
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