Letters to the editor: HB 1258 certainly had due process

HB 1258 definitely had due process

To the editor:

As Register of Wills for Washington County, I would like to set the record straight on HB 1258, which would alter the Publication of Estate Notices as it is required today.

First, and foremost, there certainly was due process during the legislative session, however, it appears that the opposition chose not to participate. This bill was introduced in the House by Delegate Embry on Feb. 8, and then assigned to Judiciary Committee with a hearing scheduled for Feb. 28, where no opposition appeared for the hearing. The bill passed the committee and passed the House by a vote of 133-0.

The bill was then referred to the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, with another hearing held on March 21, again no opposition, and the bill passed through committee to the Senate floor with a vote of 42-0. There could have been “robust debate and meaningful consultation during the legislative process,” if anyone in opposition would have taken the time to appear.

Interested persons will continue to get a notice mailed directly to them by the Registers Office, preserving their due process rights. Creditors and family members also will continue to be able to use our website, as they have been doing for quite some time.

Readership and circulation of newspapers has diminished dramatically, thus the heirs and family members rely on word of mouth from friends and family and are not being reached through the newspaper. Families are paying large amounts of money for these notices to be published, usually collected by our offices, and they do not even subscribe to the newspaper. An interesting note on our local paper, is it’s not even owned by a local company, it’s owned by Gannett.

We urge the governor to sign this bill, as it has gone through the appropriate process and received the support of the full legislative body with no opposition. It is important to note that we, the taxpayers, spend millions of dollars for our legislature to hold its 90-day session and that money is a complete waste if lobbyists can upend its outcomes after the fact.

Lacy M. Flook

Register of Wills for Washington County

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Letters to the editor for Sunday, April 28