AnalysisIncarcerated individuals often need notarial services — for example, to appoint a guardian for their children or to sign estate or healthcare documents. However, since they surrender their ID documents upon entering prison, verifying their identity to a Notary becomes challenging. Assembly Bill 25 addresses this by allowing alternative forms of identification. It is important to note that AB 25 applies only to state prison inmates, not those in federal prison. The NNA supports using an inmate ID issued by the Nevada Department of Corrections. The second option allowing inmates to sign a declaration under penalty of perjury to confirm their identity is more controversial. Relying solely on a prisoner’s signed declaration of identity does not offer an objective basis for a Notary to verify that the individual is who they claim to be.
Read Assembly Bill 25.