By: RodrÃguez S.B. No. 665
(In the Senate - Filed January 30, 2017; February 15, 2017,
read first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs;
April 12, 2017, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 5, Nays 4; April 12, 2017,
sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 665 By: Hughes
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to education requirements for a notary public appointment;
authorizing a fee.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 406, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 406.0045 to read as follows:
Sec. 406.0045. REQUIRED EDUCATIONAL COURSE. (a) An
applicant for an initial appointment as a notary public shall
complete an educational course approved by the secretary of state.
The educational course may be an online, self-study, or classroom
course.
(b) The secretary of state shall adopt rules necessary to
implement the educational course requirement imposed by Subsection
(a). The rules must:
(1) establish the standards for an educational course;
(2) establish the procedures for approving an
educational course; and
(3) set a nonrefundable vendor application and renewal
fee for a vendor of an educational course in an amount sufficient to
administer this section.
(c) The secretary of state may provide an educational course
to satisfy the requirements of Subsection (a).
(d) A fee received by the secretary of state under
Subsection (b)(3) must be appropriated to and used by the secretary
of state to administer this section.
SECTION 2. Section 406.005, Government Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
(c) An application for an initial appointment under this
section must include a statement that the applicant has completed
an educational course required by Section 406.0045.
SECTION 3. Section 406.006, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 406.006. QUALIFICATION. An individual qualifies by:
(1) properly completing the application form;
(2) executing the statement;
(3) providing the bond, if required;
(4) paying the required filing fees; [and]
(5) meeting the eligibility requirements; and
(6) providing a statement of completion of an
educational course if required by Section 406.0045.
SECTION 4. Section 406.007(a), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) The applicant must submit to the secretary of state:
(1) a fee of $10 for approving and filing the bond of
the notary public, if required; and
(2) a fee of $1 to be appropriated to and used by the
secretary of state [only] for:
(A) hiring an investigator;
(B) administering and managing an educational
course under Section 406.0045(c); and
(C) [for] preparing and distributing the
materials required to be distributed under Section 406.008.
SECTION 5. Section 406.011, Government Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
(c) Section 406.0045 does not apply to a notary public
applying for reappointment under this section.
SECTION 6. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
an application for a notary public appointment received and
qualified on or after September 1, 2018. An application received
and qualified before September 1, 2018, is governed by the law as it
existed immediately before the effective date of this Act, and that
law is continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 7. This Act takes effect January 1, 2018.
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