2022 -- H 7363

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LC003255

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- JUSTICES OF THE PEACE --

UNIFORM LAW ON NOTARIAL ACTS

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Casimiro, and Noret

     Date Introduced: February 04, 2022

     Referred To: House State Government & Elections

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 42-30-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-30 entitled "Justices of

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the Peace" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     42-30-5. Application for appointment.

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     (a) Application. Any individual desiring to be appointed a justice of the peace shall make

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written application to the governor over his or her own signature.

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     (b) Qualifications of applicants:

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     (1) The person qualified for a justice of the peace commission shall be at least eighteen

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(18) years of age and reside legally or conduct business on a regular basis within Rhode Island; and

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     (2) The applicant for appointment to the office of justice of the peace can speak, read, and

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write the English language and has sufficient knowledge of the powers and duties pertaining to that

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office.

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     (c) Attorneys and accountants. A member of the Rhode Island bar, and certified public

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accountants under § 5-3.1-5, shall, regardless of residence, be appointed a justice of the peace upon

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application and presentment of a certified copy of his or her certificate of admission to the bar or

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certificate of public accountancy.

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     (d) Any person making written application to be appointed a justice of the peace shall, at

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the time of application, pay to the secretary of state the sum of eighty dollars ($80.00).

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     SECTION 2. Sections 42-30.1-2, 42-30.1-3, 42-30.1-4, 42-30.1-5, 42-30.1-6 and 42-30.1-

 

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12 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-30.1 entitled "Uniform Law on Notarial Acts" are hereby

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amended to read as follows:

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     42-30.1-2. Definitions.

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     (4) "Communication technology" means an electronic device of process that:

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     (i) Allows a notary public and a remotely located individual to communicate with each

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other simultaneously by sight and sound; and

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     (ii) When necessary and consistent with other applicable law, facilitates communication

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with a remotely located individual who has a vision, hearing, or speech impairment.

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     (4)(5) "Electronic" means relating to technology having electrical, digital, magnetic,

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wireless, optical, electromagnetic, or similar capabilities.

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     (5)(6) "Electronic signature" means an electronic symbol, sound, or process attached to, or

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logically associated with, a record and executed or adopted by an individual with the intent to sign

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the record.

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     (7) "Foreign state" means a jurisdiction other than the United States, a state, territory, or a

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federally recognized Indian tribe.

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     (8) "Identity proofing" means a process or service by which a third person provides a notary

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public with a means to verify the identity of a remotely located individual by a review of personal

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information from public or private data sources.

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     (6)(9) "In a representative capacity" means acting as:

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     (i) An authorized officer, agent, partner, trustee, or other representative for a person other

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than an individual;

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     (ii) A public officer, personal representative, guardian, or other representative, in the

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capacity stated in a record;

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     (iii) An agent or attorney-in-fact for a principal; or

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     (iv) An authorized representative of another in any other capacity.

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     (7)(10) "Notarial act" means an act, whether performed with respect to a tangible or

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electronic record, that a notarial officer may perform under the law of this state. The term includes

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taking an acknowledgment, administering an oath or affirmation, taking a verification on oath or

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affirmation, witnessing or attesting a signature, certifying or attesting a copy, noting a protest of a

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negotiable instrument and transact, do and finish all matters and things relating to protests and

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protesting bills of exchange and promissory notes, and all other matters within their office required

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by law, take depositions as prescribed by law, and acknowledgments of deeds and other

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instruments.

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     (8)(11) "Notarial officer" means a notary public or other individual authorized to perform

 

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a notarial act.

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     (9)(12) "Notary public" means an individual commissioned to perform a notarial act by the

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commissioning officer.

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     (10)(13) "Official stamp" means a physical image affixed to a tangible record or an

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electronic image attached to, or logically associated with, an electronic record.

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     (14) "Outside the United States" means a location outside the geographic boundaries of the

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United States, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, and any territory, insular possession,

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or other location subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.

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     (11)(15) "Person" means an individual, corporation, business trust, statutory trust, estate,

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trust, partnership, limited-liability company, association, joint venture, public corporation,

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government or governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, or any other legal or

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commercial entity.

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     (12)(16) "Record" means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is

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stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form.

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     (17) "Remotely located individual" means an individual who is not in the physical presence

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of the notary public who performs a notarial act pursuant to § 42-30.1-12.1.

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     (13)(18) "Sign" means, with present intent to authenticate or adopt a record:

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     (i) To execute or adopt a tangible symbol; or

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     (ii) To attach to, or logically associate with, the record an electronic symbol, sound, or

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process.

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     (14)(19) "Signature" means a tangible symbol or an electronic signature that evidences the

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signing of a record.

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     (15)(20) "Stamping device" means:

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     (i) A physical device capable of affixing an official stamp upon a tangible record; or

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     (ii) An electronic device or process capable of attaching to, or logically associating an

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official stamp with, an electronic record.

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     (16)(21) "State" means a state of the United States of America, the District of Columbia,

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Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, or any territory or insular possession subject to the

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jurisdiction of the United States.

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     (17)(22) "Verification on oath or affirmation" means a declaration that a statement in a

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record is true, made by an individual under oath or by affirmation before a notarial officer.

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     42-30.1-3. Authority to perform notarial act.

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     (a) A notarial officer may perform a notarial act authorized by this chapter or by law of this

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state other than this chapter.

 

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     (b) A notarial officer may not perform a notarial act with respect to a record to which the

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officer or the officer's spouse, domestic partner, parent, guardian, child or sibling of the principal,

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including in-law, step, or half relatives, is a party or in which either of them has a direct beneficial

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interest, except where such persons witness a will or other legal document prepared by a notarial

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officer who is an attorney licensed by the State of Rhode Island. A notarial act performed in

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violation of this subsection is voidable.

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     (c) A notarial officer may certify that a tangible copy of an electronic record is an accurate

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copy of the electronic record.

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     42-30.1-4. Requirements for certain notarial acts.

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     (a) A notarial officer who takes an acknowledgment of a record shall determine, from

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personal knowledge or satisfactory evidence of the identity of the individual, that the individual

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appearing before the officer and making the acknowledgment has the identity claimed and that the

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signature on the record is the signature of the individual.

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     (b) A notarial officer who takes a verification of a statement on oath or affirmation shall

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determine, from personal knowledge or satisfactory evidence of the identity of the individual, that

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the individual appearing before the notarial officer and making the verification has the identity

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claimed and that the signature on the statement verified is the signature of the individual.

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     (c) A notarial officer who witnesses or attests to a signature shall determine, from personal

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knowledge or satisfactory evidence of the identity of the individual, that the individual appearing

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before the notarial officer and signing the record has the identity claimed.

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     (d) A notarial officer who certifies or attests a copy of a record or an item that was copied

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shall determine that the copy is a full, true, and accurate transcription or reproduction of the record

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or item.

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     (e) A notarial officer who makes or notes a protest of a negotiable instrument shall do so

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in accordance with the requirements set forth in § 6A-3-505(b).

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     42-30.1-5. Personal appearance required.

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     If a notarial act relates to a statement made in, or a signature executed upon, a record, the

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individual making the statement or executing the signature shall appear personally before the

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notarial officer. For purposes of this section, personal appearance means that the principal and the

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notary public can communicate simultaneously by sight and sound through an electronic device or

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process at the time of the notarization; or that the principal and notary public are physically close

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enough to see, hear, and communicate with each other at the time of notarization.

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     42-30.1-6. Identification of individual.

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     (a) A notarial officer has personal knowledge of the identity of an individual appearing

 

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before the notarial officer if the individual is personally known to the notarial officer through

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dealings sufficient to provide reasonable certainty regarding that the legal individual has the

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identity of the individual claimed.

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     (b) A notarial officer has satisfactory evidence of the identity of an individual appearing

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before the notarial officer if the notarial officer can identify the individual:

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     (1) By means of:

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     (i) A passport, driver's license, or government-issued, non-driver identification card, that

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is current or expired not more than three (3) years before performance of the notarial act; or

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     (ii) Another form of government identification issued to an individual that is current or

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expired not more than three (3) years before performance of the notarial act, contains the signature

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or a photograph of the individual, and is satisfactory to the notarial officer; or

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     (2) By a verification on oath or affirmation of a credible witness personally appearing

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before the notarial officer and known to the officer or whom the officer can identify on the basis of

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a passport, driver's license, or government issued nondriver identification card, which is current or

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expired not more than three (3) years before performance of the notarial act.

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     (c) A notarial officer may require an individual to provide additional information or

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identification credentials necessary to assure the notarial officer of the identity of the individual.

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     42-30.1-12. Foreign notarial act.

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     (a) In this section, "foreign state" means a government other than the United States of

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America or, a state, or federally recognized Indian tribe not including the state of Rhode Island.

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     (b) If a notarial act is performed under authority and in the jurisdiction of a foreign state or

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constituent unit of the foreign state, or is performed under the authority of a multinational or

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international governmental organization, the act has the same effect under the law of this state as if

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performed by a notarial officer of this state.

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     (c) If the title of office and indication of authority to perform notarial acts in a foreign state

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appears in a digest of foreign law or in a list customarily used as a source for that information, the

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authority of an officer with that title to perform notarial acts is conclusively established.

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     (d) The signature and official stamp of an individual holding an office described in

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subsection (c) of this section are prima facie evidence that the signature is genuine and the

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individual holds the designated title.

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     (e) An apostille in the form prescribed by the Hague Convention of October 5, 1961, and

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issued by a foreign state party to the convention conclusively establishes that the signature of the

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notarial officer is genuine and that the officer holds the indicated office.

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     (e)(f) A consular authentication issued by an individual designated by the United States

 

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Department of State as a notarizing officer for performing notarial acts overseas and attached to

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the record with respect to which the notarial act is performed conclusively establishes that the

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signature of the notarial officer is genuine and that the officer holds the indicated office.

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     SECTION 3. Chapter 42-30.1 of the General Laws entitled "Uniform Law on Notarial

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Acts" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following sections:

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     42-30.1-11.1. Notarial act under authority of federally recognized Indian tribe.

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     (a) A notarial act performed under the authority and in the jurisdiction of a federally

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recognized Indian tribe has the same effect as if performed by a notarial officer of this state, if the

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act performed in the jurisdiction of the tribe is performed by:

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     (1) A notary public of the tribe;

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     (2) A judge, clerk, or deputy clerk of a court of the tribe; or

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     (3) Any other individual authorized by the law of the tribe to perform the notarial act.

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     (b) The signature and title of an individual performing a notarial act under the authority of

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and in the jurisdiction of a federally recognized Indian tribe are prima facie evidence that the

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signature is genuine and that the individual holds the designated title.

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     (c) The signature and title of a notarial officer described in subsection (a)(1) or (a)(2) of

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this section conclusively establishes the authority of the officer to perform the notarial act.

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     42-30.1-12.1. Notarial act performed for remotely located individual.

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     (a) A remotely located individual may comply with § 42-30.1-5 by using communication

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technology to appear before a notary public.

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     (b) A notary public located in this state may perform a notarial act using communication

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technology for a remotely located individual if:

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     (1) The notary public:

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     (i) Has personal knowledge under § 42-30.1-6(a) of the identity of the individual;

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     (ii) Has satisfactory evidence of the identity of the remotely located individual by oath or

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affirmation from a credible witness appearing before the notary public under § 42-30.1-6(b); or

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     (iii) Has obtained satisfactory evidence of the identity of the remotely located individual

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by using at least two (2) different types of identity proofing;

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     (2) The notary public is reasonably able to confirm that a record before the notary public

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is the same record in which the remotely located individual made a statement or on which the

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individual executed a signature;

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     (3) The notary public, or a person acting on behalf of the notary public, creates an audio-

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visual recording of the performance of the notarial act; and

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     (4) For a remotely located individual located outside the United States:

 

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     (i) The record:

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     (A) Shall be filed with or relates to a matter before a public official or court, governmental

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entity, or other entity subject to the jurisdiction of the United States; or

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     (B) Involves property located in the territorial jurisdiction of the United States or involves

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a transaction substantially connected with the United States; and

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     (ii) The act of making the statement or signing the record is not prohibited by the foreign

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state in which the remotely located individual is located.

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     (c) If a notarial act is performed under this section, the certificate of notarial act required

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by § 42-30.1-12.2 and the short-form certificate provided in § 42-30.1-12.2 must indicate that the

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notarial act was performed using communication technology.

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     (d) A short-form certificate provided in § 42-30.1-12.2(g) for a notarial act subject to this

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section is sufficient if it:

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     (1) Complies with rules adopted under subsection (g)(1) of this section; or

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     (2) Is in the form provided in § 42-30.1-12.2(g) and contains a statement substantially as

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follows: "This notarial act involved the use of communication technology."

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     (e) A notary public, a guardian, conservator, or agent of a notary public, or a personal

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representative of a deceased notary public shall retain the audio-visual recording created under

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subsection (b)(3) of this section, or cause the recording to be retained by a repository designated

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by or on behalf of the person required to retain the recording. Unless a different period is required

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by rule adopted under subsection (g)(4) of this section, the recording must be retained for a period

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of at least ten (10) years after the recording is made.

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     (f) Before a notary public performs the notary public’s initial notarial act under this section,

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the notary public must notify the commissioning agency that the notary public will be performing

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notarial acts with respect to remotely located individuals and identify the technologies the notary

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public intends to use. If the commissioning agency has established standards under subsection (g)

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of this section for approval of communication technology or identity proofing, the communication

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technology and identity proofing must conform to the standards.

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     (g) The commissioning agency may adopt rules and regulations under this section

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regarding performance of a notarial act. The rules may:

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     (1) Prescribe the means of performing a notarial act involving a remotely located individual

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using communication technology;

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     (2) Establish standards for communication technology and identity proofing;

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     (3) Establish requirements or procedures to approve providers of communication

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technology and the process of identity proofing; and

 

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     (4) Establish standards and a period for the retention of an audio-visual recording created

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under subsection (b)(3) of this section.

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     (h) Before adopting, amending, or repealing a rule governing performance of a notarial act

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with respect to a remotely located individual, the commissioning agency must consider:

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     (1) The most recent standards regarding the performance of a notarial act with respect to a

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remotely located individual promulgated by national standard-setting organizations and the

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recommendations of the National Association of Secretaries of State;

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     (2) Standards, practices, and customs of other jurisdictions that have laws substantially

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similar to this section; and

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     (3) The views of governmental officials and entities and other interested persons.

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     (i) By allowing its communication technology or identity proofing to facilitate a notarial

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act for a remotely located individual or by providing storage of the audio-visual recording created

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under subsection (b)(3) of this section, the provider of the communication technology, identity

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proofing, or storage appoints the commissioning agency as the provider's agent for service of

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process in any civil action in this state related to the notarial act.

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     42-30.1-12.2. Certificate of notarial act.

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     (a) A notarial act shall be evidenced by a certificate. The certificate shall:

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     (1) Be executed contemporaneously with the performance of the notarial act;

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     (2) Be signed and dated by the notarial officer and, if the notarial officer is a notary public,

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be signed in the same manner as on file with the commissioning agency;

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     (3) Identify the jurisdiction in which the notarial act is performed;

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     (4) Contain the title of office of the notarial officer; and

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     (5) If the notarial officer is a notary public, indicate the date of expiration, if any, of the

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officer’s commission.

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     (b) If a notarial act regarding a tangible record is performed by a notary public, an official

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stamp shall be affixed to the certificate. If a notarial act is performed regarding a tangible record

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by a notarial officer other than a notary public and the certificate contains the information specified

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in subsections (a)(2), (a)(3), and (a)(4) of this section, an official stamp may be affixed to the

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certificate. If a notarial act regarding an electronic record is performed by a notarial officer and the

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certificate contains the information specified in subsections (a)(2), (a)(3), and (a)(4) of this section,

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an official stamp may be attached to or logically associated with the certificate.

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     (c) A certificate of a notarial act is sufficient if it meets the requirements of subsections (a)

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and (b) of this section, and:

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     (1) Is in a form otherwise permitted by the laws of this state;

 

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     (2) Is in a form permitted by the law applicable in the jurisdiction in which the notarial act

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was performed; or

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     (3) Sets forth the actions of the notarial officer and the actions are sufficient to meet the

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requirements of the notarial act as provided in §§ 42-30.1-4, 42-30.1-5, and 42-30.1-6 or any other

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applicable laws of this state.

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     (d) By executing a certificate of a notarial act, a notarial officer certifies that the notarial

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officer has complied with the requirements and made the determinations specified in §§ 42-30.1-3,

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42-30.1-4, and 42-30.1-5.

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     (e) A notarial officer may not affix the notarial officer’s signature to, or logically associate

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it with, a certificate until the notarial act has been performed.

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     (f) If a notarial act is performed regarding a tangible record, a certificate must be part of,

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or securely attached to, the record. If a notarial act is performed regarding an electronic record, the

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certificate must be affixed to, or logically associated with, the electronic record.

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     (g) The commissioning agency shall develop short form certificates of notarial acts, if

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completed with the information required by subsections (a), (b) and (c) of this section, for the

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following purposes:

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     (1) An acknowledgment in an individual capacity;

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     (2) An acknowledgment in a representative capacity;

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     (3) A verification on oath or affirmation;

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     (4) Witnessing or attesting a signature;

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     (5) Certifying a copy of a record.

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     42-30.1-13.1. Stamping Device.

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     (a) A notary public is responsible for the security of the notary public's stamping device

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and may not allow another individual to use the device to perform a notarial act. On the resignation

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from, or the revocation or expiration of, the notary public’s commission, or on the expiration of the

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date set forth in the stamping device, if any, the notary public shall disable the stamping device by

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destroying, defacing, damaging, erasing, or securing it against use in a manner that renders it

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unusable. On the death or adjudication of incompetency of a notary public, the notary public’s

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personal representative or guardian or any other person knowingly in possession of the stamping

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device shall render it unusable by destroying, defacing, damaging, erasing, or securing it against

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use in a manner that renders it unusable.

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     (b) If a notary public's stamping device is lost or stolen, the notary public or the notary

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public's personal representative or guardian shall notify promptly the commissioning officer or

34

agency on discovering that the device is lost or stolen.

 

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     42-30.1-19.1. Rules.

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     (a) The commissioning agency may adopt rules and regulations to implement this chapter.

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Rules and regulations adopted regarding the performance of notarial acts with respect to electronic

4

records may not require, or accord greater legal status or effect to, the implementation or application

5

of a specific technology or technical specification. The rules and regulations may:

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     (1) Prescribe the manner of performing notarial acts regarding tangible and electronic

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records;

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     (2) Include provisions to ensure that any change to or tampering with a record bearing a

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certificate of a notarial act is self-evident;

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     (3) Include provisions to ensure integrity in the creation, transmittal, storage, or

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authentication of electronic records or signatures;

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     (4) Prescribe the process of granting, renewing, conditioning, denying, suspending, or

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revoking a notary public commission and assuring the trustworthiness of an individual holding a

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commission as notary public;

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     (5) Include provisions to prevent fraud or mistake in the performance of notarial acts;

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     (6) Provide for an evaluation tool for applicants to demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the

17

powers and duties of a notary commission.

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     (b) In adopting, amending, or repealing rules about notarial acts with respect to electronic

19

records, the commissioning agency shall consider, so far as is consistent with this chapter:

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     (1) The most recent standards regarding electronic records promulgated by national bodies,

21

such as the national association of secretaries of state;

22

     (2) Standards, practices, and customs of other jurisdictions that substantially enact this

23

chapter; and

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     (3) The views of governmental officials and entities and other interested persons.

25

     42-30.1-20.1. Fees to perform notarial acts.

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     (a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, a notary public may charge a fee

27

not to exceed five dollars ($5.00) per document or notarization; travel fees must be equal to or less

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than the effective federal mileage rate as issued by the internal revenue service. All fees must be

29

posted in a conspicuous place in the notary’s place of business or upon request, fees must be

30

disclosed to any person utilizing the services of the notary.

31

     (b) In performing a notarial act for a remotely located individual, pursuant to § 42-30.1-

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12.1, a notary public may charge a fee, not to exceed twenty-five dollars ($25) per notarial act.

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     42-30.1-24.1. Uniformity of application and construction.

34

     In applying and construing this chapter, consideration must be given to the need to promote

 

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uniformity of the law with respect to its subject matter among states that enact it.

2

     SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- JUSTICES OF THE PEACE --

UNIFORM LAW ON NOTARIAL ACTS

***

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     This act would provide amendments to the notary public laws to permit remote

2

notarization, would recognize notarizations performed under the authority and in the jurisdiction

3

of a federally recognized Indian tribe, prohibit notary fees in excess of five dollars ($5.00), prohibit

4

remote online notary fees in excess of twenty-five dollars ($25.00), and requires the disabling of

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notary stamping device upon expiration or revocation of a notary commission.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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