Bill Text: NJ A1157 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Permits notaries with valid commissions on March 9, 2020 to continue serving until end of COVID-19 pandemic; permits continuation following end with timely completion of application to renew.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-01-11 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Judiciary Committee [A1157 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2022-A1157-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
220th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2022 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman CHRISTOPHER P. DEPHILLIPS
District 40 (Bergen, Essex, Morris and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Permits notaries with valid commissions on March 9, 2020 to continue serving until end of COVID-19 pandemic; permits continuation following end with timely completion of application to renew.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning continuation of commission of notaries public during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Any notary public commissioned pursuant to the provisions of the "Notaries Public Act of 1979," P.L. 1979, c. 460 (C. 52:7-10 et seq.) whose commission was valid on March 9, 2020, when the Governor's Executive Order No. 103 of 2020 was issued declaring a public health emergency and state of emergency, may continue to serve as a notary public until the end of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 ("COVID-19") pandemic regardless of the date the commission was due to expire after March 9, 2020. The notary public shall continue to be subject to the duty to faithfully and honestly discharge the duties of office as set forth in section 5 of P.L. 1979, c. 460 (C.52:7-14) during this period when the commission is deemed to continue as valid due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2. Notwithstanding the continuation of the commission as set forth in section 1 of this act until the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, a notary public shall complete the renewal application as set forth in section 2 of P.L. 1979, c. 460 (C.52:7-11) within 90 days following the end of the COVID-19 pandemic if the renewal application was not submitted prior to the enactment date of this act. An application completed and submitted to the State Treasurer in accordance with this section will permit the continuation of the commission after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic until such time as the notary public receives his renewed commission. A notary public shall retain a copy of the renewal application and proof of submission to the State Treasurer as evidence of compliance with this act until the notary public receives his renewed commission.
3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall be retroactive to March 9, 2020 and shall expire on the 90th day after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.
STATEMENT
This bill would permit any notary public commissioned pursuant to the provisions of the "Notaries Public Act of 1979," whose commission was valid on March 9, 2020, when the Governor's Executive Order No. 103 of 2020 was issued declaring a public health emergency and state of emergency, to continue to serve as a notary public until the end of the COVID-19 pandemic regardless of the date that the commission was due to expire after March 9, 2020.
The bill further provides that notwithstanding the continuation of the commission until the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, a notary public shall complete the renewal within 90 days following the end of the COVID-19 pandemic if the renewal application was not submitted prior to the enactment date of this act. An application completed and submitted to the State Treasurer in accordance with this section will permit the continuation of the commission after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic until such time as the notary public receives his renewed commission. A notary public shall retain a copy of the renewal application and proof of submission to the State Treasurer as evidence of compliance with this act until the notary public receives his renewed commission.
