DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law
or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 372 Original 2015 Regular Session Garofalo
Abstract: Requires the secretary of state to post certain information on its website regarding the
passage rate of the uniform notarial examination, and subjects notaries to suspension or
revocation of their commissions for failure to fully complete the required annual report.
Present law requires the secretary of state to develop uniform statewide standards for notarial
examinations which include all of the following:
(1)The procedures and rules for administering and grading the examination for applicants
required to take an examination.
(2)The format and content of the examination.
(3)The procedures for review by the secretary of state of any examination which was taken and
failed by the examinee.
Present law also requires the secretary of state to charge a fee not to exceed $75 for each examinee
taking an examination and to publish and make available to the public a document containing the
material and sources from which examination questions are devised for a fee not to exceed $100.
Proposed law retains present law and requires the secretary of state to list and make available on its
website the exam passage rate during the most recent three-year period, a list of the names of the
examination graders, and the results of the annual report survey questions.
Present law requires regularly commissioned non-attorney notaries to file an annual report with the
secretary of state on the form developed by the secretary of state, together with payment of the filing
fee established by the secretary of state.
Proposed law requires non-attorney notaries to state on the annual report whether they used their
notarial commissions during the past year, and whether they notarize documents for the general
public for a fee.
Proposed law provides that failure to include the required information shall result in the notary being
deemed to have failed to file his fully completed annual report and having his commission
automatically suspended, and provides that if a notary knowingly answered the questions falsely, his
commission may be revoked or suspended pursuant to present law. Effective Jan. 1, 2016.
(Amends R.S. 35:202(A); Adds R.S. 35:191.1(B)(3) and (4))