AnalysisMaryland is one of the few remaining states that require Notary applications to be endorsed by a state senator. Many states have removed this requirement in the recent past because in today’s society, elected officials do not know the individuals whose applications they are asked to endorse. Without actually doing away with the senatorial endorsement, SB 190 does allow a state senator to delegate the approval of applications for applicants in the senator’s district to the Secretary of State. Instead of bearing the written approval of the state senator, the application would need to bear the written approval of the Secretary