A new bill filed by State Rep. Matthew Winslow in the North Carolina House seeks to strengthen efforts against deed and title fraud through funding and training initiatives, according to the North Carolina State House.
The bill, filed as HB 361 on March 10 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Funds to Fight Deed and Title Fraud.’
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill allocates funds from the General Fund to combat deed and title fraud in North Carolina. It appropriates $1.8 million for antifraud training for county register of deeds employees, managed by the Department of the Secretary of State. Additionally, the Department of Justice receives $500,000 to initiate a statewide fraud awareness campaign. The Department of Information Technology is granted $31 million for need-based grants to county register of deeds offices, aimed at enhancing digitization, purchasing equipment, improving digital security, conducting staff training, and upgrading networks and hardware. Specific allocations for software, cloud storage, and other technological improvements are specified. A portion of the grants targets counties lacking fraud detection systems as of the bill’s effective date, July 1, 2025.
Of the four sponsors of this bill, Robert T. Reives, II proposed the most bills (12) during the 2025 regular session.
Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.
You can read more about the bills and other measures here.
Winslow graduated from East Carolina University with a BS.
Winslow, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2021 to represent the state’s 7th House district, replacing previous state representative Lisa Barnes.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew Winslow, Mike Schietzelt, Robert T. Reives, II, and Ya Liu | HB 361 | 03/10/2025 | Funds to Fight Deed and Title Fraud. |
| Matthew Winslow, Mike Schietzelt, Phil Rubin, and Robert T. Reives, II | HB 360 | 03/10/2025 | Homeowner Protection Act. |
| Matthew Winslow, Carson Smith, Edward C. Goodwin, and Joseph Pike | HB 299 | 03/05/2025 | Increase Disabled Veteran Prop Tax Benefit. |
| Matthew Winslow, Carla D. Cunningham, and Tricia Ann Cotham | HB 314 | 03/05/2025 | Removal of Squatters from Private Property. |
| Matthew Winslow | HB 286 | 03/04/2025 | SchCalFlex/Vance/Open Cal. |
| Matthew Winslow | HB 287 | 03/04/2025 | SchCalFlex/Franklin/Open Cal. |
| Matthew Winslow | HB 291 | 03/04/2025 | Franklinton Annexations. |
| Matthew Winslow, Brenden H. Jones, Jake Johnson, and Jarrod Lowery | HB 222 | 02/25/2025 | C.O.O.P.E.R. Accountability Act. |
| Matthew Winslow, Celeste C. Cairns, and Steve Tyson | HB 159 | 02/21/2025 | Orphan Roads Maintenance Program Grant. |
| Matthew Winslow | HB 58 | 02/04/2025 | Various Local Elections. |
| Matthew Winslow, Erin Paré, Keith Kidwell, and Steve Tyson | HB 14 | 01/29/2025 | Gambling Loss Tax Deduct, NC Sound Money Act. |
