Notary Needs to Check Information on New Notary Stamp Before Using the Notary Stamp

A mobile VA notary ordered a notary stamp and found out recently that the registration number was wrong. The client had applied for Authentication from the Virginia Secretary of the Commonwealth and was rejected. When the notary found out about the situation, the correct number was placed on the document The notary destroyed the stamp with the incorrect notary number and ordered a replacement stamp from another provider. The notary had another notary stamp with the correct notary number. The notary also showed the customer the notary appointment with correct notary number. The notary recommends all notaries check their notary stamp for the accuracy of information before using the stamp.

A PA notary was a significant witness against the Pa Attorney General

Notary Bulletin Notary’s Journal Key Evidence In High-Profile Criminal Trial By Michael Lewis on August 17, 2016 in Notary News Notary journal evidence in perjury case A Notary working in the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office provided key evidence that helped convict her boss of perjury and several other charges. Prosecutors are praising the Notary for her superior recordkeeping practices. Kathleen Kane, who was elected Pennsylvania’s Attorney General in 2012, was convicted this week of nine counts of perjury, conspiracy and other charges, according to media reports. Prosecutors claimed that Kane leaked information to the media about a 2009 grand jury investigation in an attempt to retaliate against a political rival, and then tried to cover it up. Notary Wanda Scheib, a long-time administrative assistant in the Attorney General’s office, became involved when Kane testified before a grand jury in 2014 that she never signed secrecy oaths that required her to keep confidential information about state grand jury investigations that occurred prior to her term in office. But Scheib had notarized Kane’s secrecy oaths and duly recorded them in her journal — called a register of notarial acts in Pennsylvania — which she kept locked in a filing cabinet in her office. Pennsylvania Notaries are required to record all notarial acts. During the trial, Scheib testified that she struggled for several days over what to do. She worried about what might happen if she spoke up. She finally consulted a trusted co-worker, who helped her turn over the information to prosecutors. That led investigators to the signed oaths. Prosecutor Michelle Henry said investigators may never have discovered the signed oaths without Scheib’s help. “She does the hardest thing,” Henry is quoted by pennlivecom. “She picks up a phone and tells someone.” Michael Lewis is Managing Editor of member publications for the National Notary Association.

New Rules For ID for Notaries as of July 1,2016

"Satisfactory evidence of identity" means identification of an individual based on (i) examination of one or more of the following unexpired documents bearing a photographic image of the individual's face and signature: a United States PassportBook, a United States Passport Card, a certificate of United States citizenship, a certificate of naturalization, an unexpireda foreign passport, an alien registration card with photograph, a state issued driver's license or a state issued identification card or a United States military card or (ii) the oath or affirmation of one credible witness unaffected by the document or transaction who is personally known to the notary and who personally knows the individual or of two credible witnesses unaffected by the document or transaction who each personally knows the individual and shows to the notary documentary identification as described in clause (i). In the case of an electronic notarization, "satisfactory evidence of identity" may be based on video and audio conference technology, in accordance with the standards for electronic video and audio communications set out in subdivisions B 1, B 2, and B 3 of § 19.2-3.1, that permits the notary to communicate with and identify the principal at the time of the notarial act, provided that such identification is confirmed by (a) personal knowledge, (b) an antecedent in-person identity proofing process in accordance with the specifications of the Federal Bridge Certification Authority, or (c) a valid digital certificate accessed by biometric data or by use of an interoperable Personal Identity Verification card that is designed, issued, and managed in accordance with the specifications published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Federal Information Processing Standards Publication 201-1, "Personal Identity Verification (PIV) of Federal Employees and Contractors," and supplements thereto or revisions thereof, including the specifications published by the Federal Chief Information Officers Council in "Personal Identity Verification Interoperability for Non-Federal Issuers."

Update On VA Notary Law Can no longer accept expired ID

NationalNotary.org    •    1-800-US NOTARY    •    National Notary Association

Effective today, House Bill 189 allows you to accept a U.S. passport book or card as identification. The law also clarifies that any ID presented to you must not be expired. For more information and analysis about how this new law affects you, click the link above to access details in the NNA's free, easy-to-search Notary Laws database. Thank you!