HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

793

TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO NOTARIES PUBLIC.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  Section 456-3, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§456-3  Seal.  Every notary public shall constantly keep an engraved seal of office or a rubber stamp facsimile seal which shall clearly show, when embossed, stamped, or impressed upon a document, only the notary's name, the notary's commission number, and the words, "notary public" and "State of Hawaii".  The notary public shall authenticate all the notary's official acts, attestations, certificates, and instruments therewith, and shall always add to an official signature the typed or printed name of the notary and a statement showing the date that the notary's commission expires.  Upon resignation, death, expiration of term of office without reappointment, or removal from or abandonment of office, the notary shall immediately deliver the notary's seal to the attorney general who shall deface or destroy the same.  If any notary fails to comply with this section within ninety days of the date of the notary's resignation, expiration of term of office without reappointment, or removal from or abandonment of office or if the notary's personal representative fails to comply with this section within ninety days of the notary's death, then the notary public or the notary's personal representative shall forfeit to the State not more than $200, in the discretion of the court, to be recovered in an action brought by the attorney general on behalf of the State."

     SECTION 2.  Section 456-9, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§456-9  Fees and administrative fines.  (a)  The attorney general shall charge and collect the following fees for:

     (1)  Issuing the original commission, $40; and

     (2)  Renewing the commission, $40.

     [Notwithstanding the foregoing, the attorney general may establish and adjust feesThese fees may be adjusted, and any other fees may be established and adjusted, by adopting rules pursuant to chapter 91.

     (b)  The court fees for filing a copy of a commission and for each certificate of authentication shall be specified by the supreme court.

     (c)  The attorney general may impose and collect the following administrative fines for a notary public's failure to:

     (1)  Maintain an official seal of one type, either a single engraved seal or a single rubber stamp facsimile seal, on which shall be inscribed the name of the notary public, the commission number of the notary public, and the words "notary public" and "State of Hawaii" only, $20;

     (2)  Surrender the notary public's seal and certificate to the attorney general within ninety days of resignation, removal from office, or the expiration of a term without renewal, $200;

     (3)  Authenticate every acknowledgment or jurat with a certificate that shall be signed and dated by the notary, include the printed name and official stamp or seal of the notary, identify the jurisdiction in which the notarial act is performed, describe in close proximity to the acknowledgment or jurat the document being notarized, and state the number of pages and date of the document, $500;

     (4)  Record all of the notary public's transactions as prescribed by section 456-15 and applicable rules, $200;

     (5)  Surrender the notary public's record books to the attorney general within ninety days of the end of the commission, resignation, or removal from office, $500; and

     (6)  Notify the attorney general within ten days after loss, misplacement, or theft of the notary public's seal, stamp, or any record book, inform the appropriate law enforcement agency in the case of theft, and deliver a copy of the law enforcement agency's report of the theft to the attorney general, $20.

     (d)  The foregoing moneys collected by the attorney general pursuant to this section shall be deposited into the notaries public revolving fund established by section 456-9.5, except that if that fund is terminated, the foregoing moneys shall thereafter be deposited with the director of finance to the credit of the general fund."

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

 

BY REQUEST


 


 

Report Title:

Notaries Public

 

Description:

Clarifies the information required to be on notary seals, authorizes the Attorney General to adjust the fees to become a notary and to renew a notary commission by rules adopted pursuant to chapter 91, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and authorizes other fees related to the regulation of notaries public to be established and adjusted by rules adopted pursuant to chapter 91, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

 

 

 

 

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