Senate Bill 2547

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 25-34-9, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PERMIT NOTARIAL OFFICERS TO INCREASE SERVICE FEES IN COMPLIANCE WITH RATES SET BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE; TO AMEND SECTION 25-34-41, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO EXPAND THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR NOTARIAL OFFICERS TO INCLUDE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE NOT MISSISSIPPI RESIDENCES, BUT HAVE HAD A PRACTICE IN THE STATE FOR AT LEAST 30 DAYS; TO AMEND SECTION 25-34-37, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO ALLOW JOURNAL RECORDS TO BE TRANSMITTED TO A NOTARIAL OFFICER'S PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT IN THE EVENT OF RESIGNATION, INCOMPETENCE OR DEATH; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 25-34-9, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

25-34-9. A notarial officer may charge a fee in an amount not to exceed Five Dollars ($5.00) for services rendered unless otherwise * * * ~~prohibited~~ permitted by law or by rules promulgated by the Secretary of State.

SECTION 2. Section 25-34-41, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

25-34-41. (1) An individual qualified under subsection (2) of this section may apply to the Secretary of State for a commission as a notary public. The applicant must comply with and provide the information required by rules established by the Secretary of State and pay any application fee.

(2) An applicant for a commission as a notary public must:

(a) Be at least eighteen (18) years of age;

(b) Be a citizen or permanent legal resident of the United States;

(c) Be a resident of Mississippi, or if not a resident of Mississippi, be an employee in, or have a practice in the State of Mississippi, for not less than thirty (30) days immediately preceding the date of the application;

(d) Be able to read and write English;

(e) Not be disqualified to receive a commission under Section 25-34-43; and

(f) Meet such other requirements as the Secretary of State may establish by rule.

(3) Before issuance of a commission as a notary public, an applicant for the commission must execute the oath of office prescribed by Section 268 of the Constitution and submit it to the Secretary of State.

(4) Before issuance of a commission as a notary public, the applicant for a commission must submit to the Secretary of State an assurance in the form of a surety bond or its functional equivalent in the amount of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) pursuant to the rules set forth by the Secretary of State. The assurance must be issued by a surety or other entity licensed by the Mississippi Department of Insurance. The assurance must cover acts performed during the term of the notary public's commission and must be in the form prescribed by the Secretary of State. If a notary public violates a law with respect to notaries public in this state, the surety or issuing entity is liable under the assurance. The surety or issuing entity must give thirty (30) days' notice to the Secretary of State before canceling the assurance. The surety or issuing entity must notify the Secretary of State not later than thirty (30) days after making a payment to a claimant under the assurance. A notary public may perform notarial acts in this state only during the period that a valid assurance is on file with the Secretary of State.

(5) On compliance with this section, the Secretary of State shall issue a commission as a notary public to an applicant for a term of four (4) years.

(6) A commission to act as a notary public authorizes the notary public to perform notarial acts. The commission does not provide the notary public any immunity or benefit conferred by the laws of this state on public officials or employees.

SECTION 3. Section 25-34-37, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

25-34-37. (1) A notary public must maintain a journal in which the notary public chronicles all notarial acts that the notary public performs.

(2) A journal must be created on a tangible or electronic medium. A notary public shall maintain only one (1) journal at a time to chronicle all notarial acts, whether those notarial acts are performed regarding tangible or electronic records. If the journal is tangible, it must be a permanent, bound register with numbered pages. An electronic journal must conform to specifications set forth in rules by the Secretary of State.

(3) An entry in a journal must be made contemporaneously with the performance of the notarial act and contain the following information:

(a) The date and time of the notarial act;

(b) A description of the record, if any, and type of notarial act;

(d) If the identity of the individual is based on personal knowledge, a statement to that effect;

(e) If the identity of the individual is based on satisfactory evidence, a brief description of the method of identification and the identification credential presented, if any, including the date of issuance and expiration of any identification credential;

(f) The address where the notarial act was performed if not the notary's business address; and

(g) The fee, if any, charged by the notary public.

(4) If the journal of a notary public is lost or stolen, the notary public must notify promptly the Secretary of State upon discovery that the journal is lost or stolen.

(5) On resignation from, or the revocation or suspension of, a notary public's commission, the notary public must deposit all journal records with the circuit clerk of the county of residence or the employment of the notary public.

(6) Upon the death or adjudication of incompetency of a current or former notary public, the notary public's personal representative or guardian or any other person knowingly in possession of the journal shall:

(a) Notify the Secretary of State of the death or adjudication in writing; and

(b) Within thirty (30) days of death or adjudication of incompetency, transmit all journal records to the circuit clerk of the county of residence or the employment of the notary public.

SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2024.