Bill Text: PA HB2477 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Further providing for application to become a notary public.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 16-3)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-06-14 - Referred to JUDICIARY [HB2477 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2011-HB2477-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 3757
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 2477 Session of2012
INTRODUCED BY READSHAW, SABATINA, NEUMAN, DEASY, CARROLL, BRENNAN, DeLUCA, EVERETT, FABRIZIO, JAMES, KAVULICH, KORTZ, KULA, MILLARD, MILLER, M. O'BRIEN, WHITE AND GOODMAN, JUNE 14, 2012
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, JUNE 14, 2012
AN ACT
Amending the act of August 21, 1953 (P.L.1323, No.373), entitled
"An act concerning notaries public; and amending, revising,
consolidating and changing the law relating thereto," further
providing for application to become a notary public.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 5 of the act of August 21, 1953
(P.L.1323, No.373), known as The Notary Public Law, amended
December 9, 2002 (P.L.1269, No.151), is amended to read:
Section 5. Application to Become a Notary Public.--(a)
Applications for appointment to the office of notary public
shall be made to the Secretary of the Commonwealth, on forms
prescribed and furnished by the secretary, and shall be
accompanied by a non-refundable filing fee as set forth in
section 618-A of the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175),
known as "The Administrative Code of 1929," payable to the order
of the "Commonwealth of Pennsylvania." Each application shall
bear the endorsement of the Senator of the district in which the
applicant resides or, if the applicant does not reside in this
Commonwealth, the endorsement of the Senator of the district in
which the applicant is employed. In the case of a vacancy in
that senatorial district, the application shall be endorsed by
the Senator of an adjacent district.
(b) Before issuing to any applicant a commission as notary
public, the Secretary of the Commonwealth shall be satisfied
that the applicant is of good moral character, and is familiar
with the duties and responsibilities of a notary public. The
application must contain no material misstatement or omission of
fact, and the applicant shall not:
(1) have been convicted of or pled guilty or nolo
contendere to a felony or a lesser offense incompatible with
the duties of a notary public during the five (5) year period
preceding the date of the application; or
(2) have had a prior notary public commission revoked by
the Commonwealth or any other state during the five (5) year
period preceding the date of the application.
The Secretary of the Commonwealth may, for good cause, reject
any application of any notary public subject to the right of
notice, hearing and adjudication and the right of appeal
therefrom in accordance with 2 Pa.C.S. Chs. 5 Subch. A (relating
to practice and procedure of Commonwealth agencies) and 7 Subch.
A (relating to judicial review of Commonwealth agency action),
known as the Administrative Agency Law.
(c) As a condition for the Secretary of the Commonwealth's
issuance of a notary commission to an applicant not appointed to
the office of notary public as of the effective date of this
subsection, a notary applicant must complete at least three (3)
hours of approved notary education within the six (6) month
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period immediately preceding their application, unless the
notary applicant is an attorney licensed in this Commonwealth
and is current on all required continuing legal education
requirements.
(d) Notary education may either be interactive or classroom
instruction. All education programs shall be preapproved by the
Secretary of the Commonwealth with a core curriculum that
includes the duties and responsibilities of the notary office
and electronic notarization.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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