OR House Bill 2461

Legislation

State: Oregon
Signed: August 17, 2005

Effective: July 01, 2006
Chapter: 733

Summary

Oregon joins North Carolina, Florida, Pennsylvania, Missouri, and California in requiring Notary education of new commission applicants.

Affects

Adds new as yet uncodified sections to and amends Sections 194.022 and 194.063 of the Oregon Revised Statutes .

Changes

Requires first-time applicants for a Notary commission on or after July 1, 2006, to satisfactorily complete a three-hour course of study on the laws, rules, practices, and procedures of Notaries, and if the applicant is employed, on the laws, rules, practices, and procedures relating to Notary functions to be performed in the course of employment.
Requires the Oregon Secretary of State to offer one or more Notary courses each calendar year.
Authorizes the Secretary to certify providers of Notary educational courses (including employers) who offer a course similar in content to the Secretary’s program and to develop rules for certifying course providers.
Requires the Secretary to furnish educational study materials without charge to applicants upon request.
Makes other stylistic and conforming changes.

Analysis

Oregon joins North Carolina, Florida, Pennsylvania, Missouri, and California in requiring Notary education of new commission applicants. Noteworthy are the following elements of this new law: (1) The Secretary of State must offer courses; (2) The educational course may be offered by companies for their employee-Notaries and these courses must include specific instruction on the laws and rules that affect notarizations performed at work; (3) The Secretary’s own program is to function as a “template” by which all other courses submitted for certification by vendors, including employers, will be evaluated. (4) Only new commission applicants must take the educational course; and (5) The existing Notary examination contained in the Notary application form is retained.

Read House Bill 2461.