HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE ALABAMA SENATE BILL 322? IT WILL AFFECT ALL NOTARIES IN THE STATE OF ALABAMA
by Dena Spinks, Co-Founder and CEO of Notary Know How, LLC 06/06/2023
Have you heard of Alabama Senate Bill 322?
Alabama Senate Bill 322 has reached 50% progress with the last action being that it was read a second time in the second house on 05/31/2023. If Alabama Senate Bill SB322 passes it will do the following:
* Increase the fee collected by the Judge of Probate for commissioning Notaries up to $100
* Expand the grounds under which a Judge may accept/deny a Notary Public Application
* Require applicants to complete a Training Program PRIOR to being commissioned.
* If passed as currently written the Bond required of a Notary Public will increase from $25,000 to $50,000
* Provide further for the acknowledgement of signatures
* To increase the fee collected for Notarial acts performed from $5 to $10 per Notarial act
* To specify the acts of a Notary that constitute a crime and other involved individuals
* Increase expenditure of local funds in regards to Section 111.05 of the Constitution of Alabama of 2022
Here is a summary from https://legiscan.com/AL/bill/SB322/2023
Relating to the employment of notaries public; to amend Sections 36-20-70, 36-20-71, 36-20-72, 36-20-73.1, 36-20-74, and 36-20-75, Code of Alabama 1975; to provide further for the appointment and service of notaries public; to increase the fee collected
by the judge of probate for the commission of a notary; to expand the grounds under which a judge of probate may accept or deny an application for a notary commission; to require an applicant for a notary commission to complete a training program;
to increase the bond required of a notary public; to provide further for the acknowledgment of signatures; to increase the fee collected for notarial acts performed; to specify the acts of a notary or other individual that constitute a crime; and in
connection therewith would have as its purpose or effect the requirement of a new or increased expenditure of local funds within the meaning of Section 111.05 of the Constitution of Alabama of 2022.
Alabama Senate Bill SB322 will affect all of the nearly 73,000 Notaries in the State of Alabama. We at Notary Know How are pleased to finally see an increase in the fee that a Notary can charge. Many Notaries have waited a very long time to see that happen. We also agree that Notaries in general do not get properly trained and that is the main reason we started Notary Know How so we are glad to see the training requirement. Notary Know How wants to train the next generation of Notaries so that they can do their jobs effectively and with confidence. Notaries are so important to our society and are on the front lines when it comes to combating identity theft. Proper Training will help all Notaries do a much better job in identifying identity theft which protects them from personal liability and the State of Alabama from fraud.
We will keep you updated on Alabama Senate Bill 322.
