1-1  By:  Thompson (Senate Sponsor - Barrientos)            H.B. No. 172
    1-2        (In the Senate - Received from the House April 3, 1995;
    1-3  April 4, 1995, read first time and referred to Committee on
    1-4  Jurisprudence; May 9, 1995, reported favorably by the following
    1-5  vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 9, 1995, sent to printer.)
    1-6                         A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-7                                AN ACT
    1-8  relating to notary public fees.
    1-9        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
   1-10        SECTION 1.  Section 406.024(a), Government Code, is amended
   1-11  to read as follows:
   1-12        (a)  A notary public or its employer may charge the following
   1-13  fees:
   1-14              (1)  for protesting a bill or note for nonacceptance or
   1-15  nonpayment, register and seal, a fee of $4 <$3>;
   1-16              (2)  for each notice of protest, a fee of $1 <50
   1-17  cents>;
   1-18              (3)  for protesting in all other cases, a fee of $4 <50
   1-19  cents for each 100 words>;
   1-20              (4)  for certificate and seal to a protest, a fee of $4
   1-21  <$3>;
   1-22              (5)  for taking the acknowledgment or proof of a deed
   1-23  or other instrument in writing, for registration, including
   1-24  certificate and seal, a fee of $6 <$5> for the first signature and
   1-25  $1 for each additional signature;
   1-26              (6)  for administering an oath or affirmation with
   1-27  certificate and seal, a fee of $6 <$5>;
   1-28              (7)  for a certificate under seal not otherwise
   1-29  provided for, a fee of $6 <$5>;
   1-30              (8)  for a copy of a record or paper in the notary
   1-31  public's office, a fee of 50 cents for each page;
   1-32              (9)  for taking the deposition of a witness, 50 cents
   1-33  for each 100 words;
   1-34              (10)  for swearing a witness to a deposition,
   1-35  certificate, seal, and other business connected with taking the
   1-36  deposition, a fee of $6 <$5>; and
   1-37              (11)  for a notarial act not provided for, a fee of $6
   1-38  <$5>.
   1-39        SECTION 2.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
   1-40        (b)  This Act applies only to a fee charged for a notary
   1-41  service rendered on or after the effective date of this Act.  A fee
   1-42  charged for a notary service rendered before the effective date of
   1-43  this Act is governed by the law in effect at the time the service
   1-44  was rendered, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.
   1-45        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-46  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-47  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-48  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   1-49  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
   1-50                               * * * * *