Apr. 14, 2020
HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania General Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed legislation that contains an amendment allowing notaries to interact with the public in an electronic form, according to Rep. Mark Keller (R-Perry/Cumberland), who spearheaded the initiative.
House Bill 2370 was amended into another bill,
Senate Bill 841, which is going to Gov. Tom Wolf’s desk for his signature into law.
The COVID-19 crisis has created many unforeseen barriers to our businesses and communities. One of these is having documents notarized. Keller’s legislation is designed to make that process easier.
“Giving notaries the ability to interact with the public in an electronic form not only supports social distancing, but also will help many businesses continue their work. This legislation would allow them to perform their duties using audio/video communication with the public,” Keller said.
Notaries notarize documents for banks and credit unions, certain sales transactions such as real estate, and powers of attorney and other legal matters.
The legislation would allow notaries to perform acknowledgements, administer an oath or affirmation, witness or attest electronic signatures, and certify or attest a copy by using real-time communication.
Representative Mark Keller
86th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives