THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

INTRODUCED BY WATSON, BOYD, MURT, HARPER, GEIST, CALTAGIRONE, CLYMER, DENLINGER, FAIRCHILD, GINGRICH, GOODMAN, GROVE, HELM, M. KELLER, O'NEILL, PYLE, READSHAW, SCAVELLO, SIPTROTH, SWANGER AND YOUNGBLOOD, AUGUST 30, 2010

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON FINANCE, AUGUST 30, 2010  

AN ACT

Amending the act of July 7, 1947 (P.L.1368, No.542), entitled,

as amended, "An act amending, revising and consolidating the

laws relating to delinquent county, city, except of the first

and second class and second class A, borough, town, township,

school district, except of the first class and school

districts within cities of the second class A, and

institution district taxes, providing when, how and upon what

property, and to what extent liens shall be allowed for such

taxes, the return and entering of claims therefor; the

collection and adjudication of such claims, sales of real

property, including seated and unseated lands, subject to the

lien of such tax claims; the disposition of the proceeds

thereof, including State taxes and municipal claims recovered

and the redemption of property; providing for the discharge

and divestiture by certain tax sales of all estates in

property and of mortgages and liens on such property, and the

proceedings therefor; creating a Tax Claim Bureau in each

county, except counties of the first and second class, to act

as agent for taxing districts; defining its powers and

duties, including sales of property, the management of

property taken in sequestration, and the management, sale and

disposition of property heretofore sold to the county

commissioners, taxing districts and trustees at tax sales;

providing a method for the service of process and notices;

imposing duties on taxing districts and their officers and on

tax collectors, and certain expenses on counties and for

their reimbursement by taxing districts; and repealing

existing laws," further providing for notice of filing of

returns and entry of claim.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Section 308 of the act of July 7, 1947 (P.L.1368,

No.542), known as the Real Estate Tax Sale Law, is amended by

adding a subsection to read:

Section 308.  Notice of Filing of Returns and Entry of

Claim.--* * *

(b.1) In addition to the warning provision required pursuant

to subsection (b), the notice given in the manner provided by

this section shall contain the following provision which shall

be conspicuously placed upon said notice and set in at least 10-

point type in a box as:

WARNING

"YOUR MORTGAGE CONTRACT MAY CONTAIN TERMS ALLOWING YOUR

LENDER, AN ASSIGNEE, OR A LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE OF YOUR LENDER

ON THE MORTGAGE CONTRACT, TO PAY THE DELINQUENT REAL ESTATE

TAXES DUE ON YOUR PROPERTY AND THEN TO ADJUST (INCREASE) YOUR

MORTGAGE PAYMENTS TO RECOUP SUCH PAYMENTS DIRECTLY FROM YOU.

YOUR FAILURE TO MAKE SUCH INCREASED MORTGAGE PAYMENTS IN A

TIMELY FASHION MAY RESULT IN THE LENDER, AN ASSIGNEE, OR

LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MORTGAGE CONTRACT IN PURSUING A

MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE ACTION AGAINST YOU. SUCH AN ACTION COULD

LEAD TO THE SALE OF YOUR PROPERTY MUCH SOONER THAN A SALE

CONDUCTED BY THE COUNTY TAX CLAIM BUREAU FOR NONPAYMENT OF

TAXES. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONSULT YOUR

ATTORNEY, YOUR MORTGAGE LENDER OR THE COUNTY LAWYER REFERRAL

SERVICE."

* * *

Section 2.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.