BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1683

By: Bohac

Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

According to interested parties, a notary public's stamp, or seal of office, currently lacks unique identifying information that could be used to answer questions regarding the notarization or authenticity of a document. H.B. 1683 provides for an identifying number on the stamp in an effort to better connect notaries public to the documents they notarize.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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

H.B. 1683 amends the Government Code to require the secretary of state to assign each notary public an identifying number, to keep a record of the number assigned to each notary, and to supply the notary with that number when the notary's commission is issued. The bill includes the identifying number among the elements to be clearly shown on the seal of office provided by the notary public.

EFFECTIVE DATE

January 1, 2016.