SummarySenate Bill 2715 authorizes a notarial officer to refuse to notarize when the signer won’t provide — or pay for — identity proofing, and subjects notarial commission data to recorder verification under Rhode Island’s new deed fraud protections.
AnalysisSenate Bill 2715 enacts three Notary‑relevant additions which are intended to address rising incidents of deed fraud in Rhode Island: (1) it makes a recorded instrument a “suspicious document” when the name or commission information of the notarial officer who purported to acknowledge or verify it does not match official records, and authorizes the municipal recorder to delay the filing, refer it to law enforcement, and notify the notarial officer of the reason for the finding. Rhode Island Notaries should expect their commission data to be cross‑checked at recording and should ensure their seal, signature, and commission information are accurate and current to avoid being flagged or contacted in a fraud inquiry; (2) it permits municipalities to maintain a publicly searchable log capturing each notarial officer’s name, commission number, and commissioning jurisdiction for every recorded land‑records document, increasing transparency and the traceability of notarial acts on Rhode Island real property instruments; and (3) most significantly, it amends the Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (§ 42‑30.1‑7) to expressly authorize a notarial officer to refuse to perform a notarial act when the individual fails to provide information sufficient to conduct identity proofing under § 42‑30.1‑6 or § 42‑30.1‑12.1, or refuses to consent to pay for identity proofing. This is a clear, statutorily protected refusal ground that strengthens the Notary’s gatekeeping role against deed and title fraud, particularly in remote and electronic transactions.
Read Senate Bill 2715.