by Peter Klenk, Esq.

Summer has arrived, which means that lawmaking will soon slow to a halt, but there is still life in a few estate related bills:

Senate Bill 1203 of 2007: Law is never static, even laws related to Wills, Trusts and Estates. This Senate Bill proposes to improve the recent Pennsylvania Uniform Trust Act (PA UTA) and a few other estate and trust related PEF Code provisions (Probate, Estates and Fiduciaries Code). The Bill has been referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee for final polishing. When deemed ready, the Bill will be reported out of Committee for a second and third consideration on separate days before coming to a final vote.

If the Senate passes the Bill it moves to the House Chamber for review by a House committee. If there are no amendments, the Bill comes to a vote and the House sends the Bill back to the Senate Chamber.

Anti-Fraud Legislation in Philadelphia: Concern over fraudulent deeds has prompted Council-at-Large William K. Greenlee to introduce Bill No. 08042401-A, proposing to amend Title 2 of The Philadelphia Code requiring that prior to a deed’s recording the Department of Records must check the record of ownership, that documentation must be submitted to the Department with certain deeds and that the record owner be notified of the deed’s filing.