BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2501

By: Bohac

Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that because a notary public's stamp does not include unique identifying information, there is no method to quickly and accurately identify the individual who was the notary on a document should there ever be a question regarding the notarization or authenticity of the document. C.S.H.B. 2501 seeks to assign each notary public an identifying number in order to connect a notary public to each document notarized by that individual.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2501 amends the Government Code to require the secretary of state to assign each notary public an identifying number and keep a record of the number assigned to each notary public. The bill includes the identifying number among the items the secretary of state is required to supply the notary public when the commission is issued. The bill revises the design of the notary public seal to incorporate the identifying number.

EFFECTIVE DATE

January 1, 2014.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 2501 differs from the original by making the bill effective January 1, 2014, rather than on passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2013.