WA Proclamation 20-27 (Remote Notarial Acts)

Executive Order

State: Washington
Signed: March 25, 2020

Effective: March 28, 2020

Summary

Washington Governor Inslee temporarily suspends the October 1, 2020, effective date for SB 5641 until April 26, 2020.

Affects

The effective date for when Washington Notaries are legally authorized to perform notarial acts for remotely located individuals.

Changes

Waives and suspends the effective date of Senate Bill (SB) 5641, An Act relating to electronic notarial acts by remotely located individuals, Chapter 154, Laws of 2019, and codified within RCW 42.45, and allows the effective date to take effect on March 27, 2020, until midnight on April 26, 2020.

Analysis

Washington Governor Inslee has issued Amendatory Proclamation 20-27 regarding the delayed effective date of Senate Bill 5641, allowing notarial acts to be performed for remotely located individuals. The new law was supposed to take effect on October 1, 2020, but the Governor stated in his Proclamation that relief is necessary for coping with the COVID-19 State of Emergency under Proclamation 20-05.

The Governor said, "many professional services require the use of notary services for a variety of purposes that impact our vulnerable populations, including the need for advanced healthcare directives, wills, deeds of trust, durable powers of attorney for health care, irrevocable trusts or living trusts, real estate transfers, consents to travel documents for minors, adoptions, and affidavits of identity for a variety of purposes."

Under the emergency Proclamation, the new law is effective temporarily from March 27, 2020, through midnight of April 26, 2020.

Read the Proclamation 20-27.

On April 23, 2020, Governor Inslee issued Proclamation 20-27.1, extending the effective date through May 4, 2020, or the end of the COVID-19 state of emergency, whichever occurs first.

On May 5, 2020, Governor Inslee issued Proclamation, 20-27.2, extending the effective date through May 31, 2020, or the end of the COVID-19 state of emergency, whichever occurs first.

On May 29, 2020, Governor Inslee issued Proclamation, 20-27.3, extending the effective date through June 17, 2020, or the end of the COVID-19 state of emergency, whichever occurs first.

On June 18, 2020, Governor Inslee issued Proclamation, 20-27.4, extending the effective date through July 1, 2020, or the end of the COVID-19 state of emergency, whichever occurs first.

On July 2, 2020, Governor Inslee issued Proclamation, 20-27.5, extending the effective date through August 1, 2020, or the end of the COVID-19 state of emergency, whichever occurs first.

On July 31, 2020, Governor Inslee issued Proclamation, 20-27.6, extending the effective date through September 1, 2020, or the end of the COVID-19 state of emergency, whichever occurs first.

On September 2, 2020, Governor Inslee issued Proclamation, 20-27.7, extending the effective date through September 30, 2020, or the end of the COVID-19 state of emergency, whichever occurs first.