Mohave County Assessor's Address Protection Program inspires Legislative adoption state-wide

Jeanne Kentch 
Mohave County Assessor 
928-753-0703
Contact the Assessor's Office
AAPP: https://www.mohave.gov/departments/assessor/program-enrollment/assessor-address-protection-program-aapp/ 

RE: Senate Bill 1479
April 10, 2026

Today, Arizona reached a significant milestone in property protection as the Governor signed Senate Bill 1479 (SB1479) into law – the state’s first comprehensive measure aimed at preventing deed fraud. SB1479 was sponsored by Senator Frank Carroll and co-sponsored by Senator’s Fernandez, Kavanagh, Payne, Sears, Shamp, Shope and Bliss. 

This landmark legislation established many critical safeguards to enhance the integrity and security of property ownership and deed transfers throughout Arizona. 

Safeguard #1: Individuals recording documents in person must present valid photo identification, unless the filing is conducted by an escrow officer, title agent, chartered bank or governmental entity.  

Safeguard #2: County Assessors are now required to implement an Address Protection Program that notifies enrolled property owners of any ownership changes affecting their property(ies). This program is modeled after the successful initiative developed by the Mohave County Assessor’s Office in 2022. 

Safeguard #3: Any individual who records a document containing material misstatements or false claims is liable to the property owner for no less than $5,000 or the actual damage incurred, whichever is greater, along with reasonable attorney fees and legal costs. 

Safeguard #4: A person named in a fraudulent document who knowingly refuses to release or correct the record within twenty days of receiving written notice will be liable for at least $1,000 or actual damages, whichever is greater, in addition to reasonable attorney fees and associated costs.  

Safeguard #5: Knowingly recording fraudulent documents is now classified as a Class 5 felony, an increase from the previous classification of a Class 1 misdemeanor. 

Safeguard #6: Notary publics are required to obtain a thumbprint for all deed-related notarizations, adding a critical layer of identity verification.   

Safeguard #7: Remote notarizations are permitted under strict guidelines, including the requirement that notary journals capture the signer’s identification number and that audiovisual recordings of the transaction be retained for a minimum of seven years. 

SB1479 passed unanimously through committees in both the Arizona House and Senate, reflecting strong bipartisan agreement on the importance of protecting property owners. This overwhelming support underscores a clear mandate from Arizona’s elected officials to strengthen safeguards around one of the most valuable assets individuals own – their homes. The success of this legislation is the result of collaborative efforts among state lawmakers, county Assessors, Recorders, the Attorney General’s office and even a deed fraud victim, all worked together to develop practical, effective solutions to combat deed fraud. SB1479 represents a significant step forward in protecting property rights in Arizona by introducing multiple layers of security that were previously unavailable. These measures are expected to increase public confidence, enhance transparency, and improve overall satisfaction with property ownership protections across the state.

Link to the bill: https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/57leg/2R/bills/SB1479H.pdf 

Link to Governor Hobbs legislation:  https://azgovernor.gov/office-arizonagovernor/news/2026/04/governor-katie-hobbs-legislative-action-update-3

Mohave County extend its sincere gratitude to the many individuals and organizations whose dedication and persistence over the years made this deed fraud legislation possible. Their commitment to protecting property owners and strengthening safeguards against fraud has been invaluable. 

We would like to recognize many contributions from the Mohave County Assessor’s

Office, Senator Selina Bliss, Senator Frank Carroll, Representative Patty Contreras, Don Carroll of the Attorney General’s Office, Debora Gotlieb a deed fraud victim whose voice helped bring urgency to this issue, and of course the Maricopa County Assessor’s Office who made it cross the finish line. 

Their years of advocacy, collaboration, and public service have been instrumental in advancing this important legislation. 

The hero’s listed above are by no means inclusive of all that have supported this vision of protecting Arizona property owners.