S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
5934
2009-2010 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
June 18, 2009
___________
Introduced by Sen. KLEIN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the civil practice law and rules, in relation to manda-
tory settlement conferences in residential foreclosure actions and
requiring good faith settlement discussions in connection with such
foreclosure actions
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subdivision (a) of rule 3408 of the civil practice law and
rules, as added by chapter 472 of the laws of 2008, is amended to read
as follows:
(a) In any residential foreclosure action involving a high-cost home
loan consummated between January first, two thousand three and September
first, two thousand eight, or a subprime or nontraditional home loan, as
those terms are defined under section thirteen hundred four of the real
property actions and proceedings law, in which the defendant is a resi-
dent of the property subject to foreclosure, the court shall hold a
mandatory conference within sixty days after the date when proof of
service is filed with the county clerk, or on such adjourned date as has
been agreed to by the parties, for the purpose of holding settlement
discussions pertaining to the relative rights and obligations of the
parties under the mortgage loan documents, including, but not limited to
determining whether the parties can reach a mutually agreeable resol-
ution to help the defendant avoid losing his or her home, and evaluating
the potential for a resolution in which payment schedules or amounts may
be modified or other workout options may be agreed to, and for whatever
other purposes the court deems appropriate. BOTH THE PLAINTIFF AND THE
DEFENDANT MUST MAKE GOOD FAITH EFFORTS TO REACH A MUTUALLY AGREEABLE
RESOLUTION. SUCH GOOD FAITH EFFORTS MUST INCLUDE, AT A MINIMUM, FOLLOW-
ING THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY HOME AFFORDABLE MODIFI-
CATION PROGRAM GUIDELINES ISSUED ON MARCH FOURTH, TWO THOUSAND NINE, AND
ANY AMENDMENTS THERETO.
S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14357-03-9