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<p class="MsoNormal">JP, <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I previously looked at this Bill and provided the below and the attached AI review as well.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">House Bill 2445<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This Bill will benefit our industry by adding guardrails to the appointment of Personal Representatives. I’m sure that it resulted from high-profile cases as the one noted in the article linked below. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="file:///C:/Users/crollins/OneDrive%20-%20Stewart%20Title/Documents/Tacoma%20man%20on%20the%20run%20in%20%E2%80%98probate%20for%20profit%E2%80%99%20scheme,%20AG%E2%80%99s%20office%20says%20_%20The%20Seattle%20Times.html">file:///C:/Users/crollins/OneDrive%20-%20Stewart%20Title/Documents/Tacoma%20man%20on%20the%20run%20in%20%E2%80%98probate%20for%20profit%E2%80%99%20scheme,%20AG%E2%80%99s%20office%20says%20_%20The%20Seattle%20Times.html</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>I recommend taking a neutral stance and monitoring the Bill.</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Washington HB 2445 is a broad “ending probates for profit” bill aimed at preventing third-party profiteering from estates and tightening controls on personal representatives; it creates meaningful consumer protections but also adds complexity,
timelines, and potential friction points that will matter to both consumers and title insurers.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<![if !supportLists]><span style="mso-list:Ignore">•<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><![endif]>The bill is aimed squarely at schemes where a “professional” PR takes over a stranger’s estate, sells dozens of properties, and leaves heirs with little or nothing; those schemes produce messy title histories and later litigation.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none">Chris Rollins<br>
Stewart Title Guaranty Company<span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none">Associate Senior Underwriter <o:p>
</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none">(425) 417-5662 mobile<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:Chris.rollins@stewart.com"><span style="color:#0563C1">Chris.rollins@stewart.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none"><img border="0" width="218" height="48" style="width:2.2708in;height:.5in" id="Picture_x0020_1720998331" src="cid:image003.png@01DC9114.C9C2EA00"></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><img border="0" width="87" height="87" style="width:.9062in;height:.9062in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image004.jpg@01DC9114.C9C2EA00" alt="A gold circle with black text and a house
Description automatically generated"></span><span style="font-size:6.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none"> Legislativecommittee1 <legislativecommittee1-bounces@washingtonlandtitle.com>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Jp Kissling<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, January 29, 2026 11:11 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> '1 WLTA Legislative Committee' <legislativecommittee1@washingtonlandtitle.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [External] [Legislativecommittee1] I missed one, I need someone to look at this as soon as we can.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>HB 2445 - 2025-26<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Ending probates for profit.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__app.leg.wa.gov_billsummary-3FBillNumber-3D2445-26Year-3D2025-26Initiative-3Dfalse&d=DwMFAg&c=A2I0cd0yeEKQCn3mv-g-KzOAX7YMnpExrKRXrh8neX0&r=1De8o3bHwm9yYFbslBIBD0yrqekDnb7UCbw5Aiv6Afg&m=wDU-3bLQu2qbAhQH8rPxwrD6VFeKFHxgl34wpWS6ZyxFu8CCYCus68flidd9g9GL&s=P0rM8LzI8D1wxHnOFiHE1-mZTtfyY5SDdO5IREOuZM8&e=">https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=2445&Year=2025&Initiative=false</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">King 5 story on youtube <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.youtube.com_watch-3Fv-3D2XnQY8FJMFU&d=DwMFAg&c=A2I0cd0yeEKQCn3mv-g-KzOAX7YMnpExrKRXrh8neX0&r=1De8o3bHwm9yYFbslBIBD0yrqekDnb7UCbw5Aiv6Afg&m=wDU-3bLQu2qbAhQH8rPxwrD6VFeKFHxgl34wpWS6ZyxFu8CCYCus68flidd9g9GL&s=Jctjplflar0O96VzqRBsFw6_E8VaoXziSnsgN41FJN8&e=">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XnQY8FJMFU</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;mso-ligatures:none">Thank you
<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"><img border="0" width="336" height="192" style="width:3.5in;height:2.0in" id="Picture_x0020_5" src="cid:image005.jpg@01DC9114.C9C2EA00"></span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"> <img border="0" width="242" height="223" style="width:2.5208in;height:2.3229in" id="Picture_x0020_6" src="cid:image006.png@01DC9114.C9C2EA00"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;mso-ligatures:none">Freedom and Property Rights are inseparable. You can't have one without the other.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;mso-ligatures:none">~George Washington<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:10.0pt"><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#990000;mso-ligatures:none">WARNING – FRAUDULENT FUNDING INSTRUCTIONS</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:10.0pt"><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;mso-ligatures:none">Email hacking and fraud are on the rise to fraudulently misdirect funds. Please call your escrow officer immediately
using contact information found from an independent source, such as the sales contract or internet, to verify any funding instructions received. We are not responsible for any wires sent by you to an incorrect bank account.</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:10.0pt"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:blue;mso-ligatures:none"><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.youtube.com_watch-3Fv-3Dek4TwC9owwY-26feature-3Dyoutu.be&d=DwMFAg&c=A2I0cd0yeEKQCn3mv-g-KzOAX7YMnpExrKRXrh8neX0&r=1De8o3bHwm9yYFbslBIBD0yrqekDnb7UCbw5Aiv6Afg&m=wDU-3bLQu2qbAhQH8rPxwrD6VFeKFHxgl34wpWS6ZyxFu8CCYCus68flidd9g9GL&s=Y8HjjEIizZpA5kjf-QZXIxjePfyAt_o8M7gdb-1AEVI&e=" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155CC">CLICK
HERE TO WATCH <br>
VIDEO ON WIRE FRAUD<br>
PREVENTION</span></a></span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><b><span style="font-size:9.5pt;mso-ligatures:none">This electronic mail may constitute a client communication that is privileged at law. It is not intended for transmission to,
or receipt by, any unauthorized persons. If you have received this electronic mail transmission in error, please delete it from your system without copying it, and notify the sender by reply e-mail, so that our address record can be corrected. </span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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