(2) If a notarial act regarding a tangible record is performed by a notary public, an official stamp must be affixed to or embossed on the certificate. If a notarial act is performed regarding a tangible record by a notarial officer other than a notary public and the certificate contains the information specified in sub. (1) (b), (c), and (d), an official stamp may be affixed to or embossed on the certificate. If a notarial act regarding an electronic record is performed by a notarial officer and the certificate contains the information specified in sub. (1) (b), (c), and (d), an official stamp may be attached to or logically associated with the certificate.
(3) A certificate of a notarial act is sufficient if it meets the requirements of subs. (1) and (2) and satisfies any of the following:
(a) Is in a short form set forth in s. 140.16.
(b) Is in a form otherwise permitted by the law of this state.
(c) Is in a form permitted by the law applicable in the jurisdiction in which the notarial act was performed.
(d) Sets forth the actions of the notarial officer and the actions are sufficient to meet the requirements of the notarial act as provided in ss. 140.05, 140.06, and 140.07 or law of this state other than this chapter.
(4) By executing a certificate of a notarial act, a notarial officer certifies that the officer has complied with the requirements and made the determinations specified in ss. 140.04, 140.05, and 140.06.
(5) A notarial officer may not affix the officer's signature to, or logically associate it with, a certificate until the notarial act has been performed.
(6) If a notarial act is performed regarding a tangible record, a certificate must be part of, or securely attached to, the record. If a notarial act is performed regarding an electronic record, the certificate must be affixed to, or logically associated with, the electronic record. If the department has established standards pursuant to s. 140.27 for attaching, affixing, or logically associating the certificate, the process must conform to the standards.
125,47
Section 47
. 140.16 of the statutes is created to read:
140.16 Short form certificates. The following short form certificates of notarial acts are sufficient for the purposes indicated, if completed with the information required by s. 140.15 (1) and (2):
(1) For an acknowledgment in an individual capacity:
State of ....
County of ....
This record was acknowledged before me on ... (date) by .... (name(s) of individual(s)).
.... (Signature of notarial officer)
Stamp
.... (Title of office)
[My commission expires: ....]
(2) For an acknowledgment in a representative capacity:
State of ....
County of ....
This record was acknowledged before me on .... (date) by .... (name(s) of individual(s)) as .... (type of authority, such as officer or trustee) of .... (name of party on behalf of whom record was executed).
.... (Signature of notarial officer)
Stamp
.... (Title of office)
[My commission expires: ....]
(3) For a verification on oath or affirmation:
State of ....
County of ....
Signed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me on .... (date) by .... (name(s) of individual(s) making statement).
.... (Signature of notarial officer)
Stamp
.... (Title of office)
[My commission expires: ....]
(4) For witnessing or attesting a signature:
State of ....
County of ....
Signed [or attested] before me on .... (date) by .... (name(s) of individual(s)).
.... (Signature of notarial officer)
Stamp
.... (Title of office)
[My commission expires: ....]
(5) For certifying or attesting a copy of a record:
State of ...
County of ....
I certify or attest that this is a true and correct copy of a record in the possession of ....
Dated: ....
.... (Signature of notarial officer)
Stamp
..... (Title of office)
[My commission expires: ....]
125,48
Section 48
. 140.17 of the statutes is created to read:
140.17 Official stamp. The official stamp of a notary public must satisfy all of the following criteria:
(1) Include the notary public's name, jurisdiction, commission expiration date if applicable, and other information required by the department.
(2) Be capable of being copied together with the record to which it is affixed or attached or with which it is logically associated.
125,49
Section 49
. 140.18 of the statutes is created to read:
140.18 Stamping device. (1) (a) A notary public is responsible for the security of the notary public's stamping device and may not allow another individual to use the device to perform a notarial act.
(b) On resignation from, or the revocation or expiration of, the notary public's commission, or on the expiration of the date set forth in the stamping device, if any, the notary public shall disable the stamping device by destroying, defacing, damaging, erasing, or securing it against use in a manner that renders it unusable.
(c) On the death or adjudication of incompetency of a notary public, the notary public's personal representative or guardian or any other person knowingly in possession of the stamping device shall render it unusable by destroying, defacing, damaging, erasing, or securing it against use in a manner that renders it unusable.
(2) If a notary public's stamping device is lost or stolen, the notary public or the notary public's personal representative or guardian shall promptly notify the department on discovering that the device is lost or stolen.
125,50
Section 50
. 140.20 of the statutes is created to read:
140.20 Notification regarding performance of notarial act for remotely located individuals; selection of technology; acceptance of tangible copy of electronic record. (1) A notary public may select one or more tamper-evident technologies to perform notarial acts with respect to electronic records. A person may not require a notary public to perform a notarial act with respect to an electronic record with a technology that the notary public has not selected.
(2) Before a notary public performs the notary public's initial notarial act for a remotely located individual under s. 140.145, the notary public shall notify the department that the notary public will be performing notarial acts for remotely located individuals under s. 140.145 and identify the technology the notary public intends to use. If the department has established standards for approval of technology pursuant to s. 140.27, the technology must conform to the standards. If the technology conforms to the standards, the department shall approve the use of the technology.
(3) A register of deeds may accept for recording a tangible copy of an electronic record containing a notarial certificate as satisfying any requirement that a record accepted for recording be an original, if the notarial officer executing the notarial certificate certifies or attests that the tangible copy is an accurate copy of the electronic record.
125,51
Section 51
. 140.24 of the statutes is created to read:
140.24 Database of notaries public. The department shall maintain an electronic database of notaries public to which all of the following apply:
(1) A person may verify through the database the authority of a notary public to perform notarial acts.
(2) The database indicates whether a notary public has notified the department that the notary public will be performing notarial acts for remotely located individuals under s. 140.145.
125,52
Section 52
. 140.26 of the statutes is created to read:
140.26 Validity of notarial acts. Except as otherwise provided in s. 140.04 (2), the failure of a notarial officer to perform a duty or meet a requirement specified in this chapter does not invalidate a notarial act performed by the notarial officer. The validity of a notarial act under this chapter does not prevent an aggrieved person from seeking to invalidate the record or transaction that is the subject of the notarial act or from seeking other remedies based on law of this state other than this chapter or law of the United States. This section does not validate a purported notarial act performed by an individual who does not have the authority to perform notarial acts.
125,53
Section 53
. 140.27 of the statutes is created to read:
140.27 Rules; powers of the department. (1) (a) Subject to pars. (b) and (c), the department shall promulgate rules to implement this chapter. These rules shall do all of the following:
1. Establish maximum fees that may be charged by a notary public for performing a notarial act for a remotely located individual.
2. Prescribe the manner of performing notarial acts regarding tangible and electronic records.
3. Include provisions to ensure that any change to or tampering with a record bearing a certificate of a notarial act is self-evident.
4. Include provisions to ensure integrity in the creation, transmittal, storage, or authentication of electronic records or signatures.
5. Prescribe the process of granting, renewing, conditioning, denying, suspending, or revoking a notary public commission and assuring the trustworthiness of an individual holding a commission as a notary public.
6. Include provisions to prevent fraud or mistake in the performance of notarial acts.
(b) Rules promulgated under par. (a) regarding the performance of notarial acts with respect to electronic records may not require, or accord greater legal status or effect to, the implementation or application of a specific technology or technical specification.
(c) In promulgating rules under par. (a) about notarial acts with respect to electronic records, the department shall consider, so far as is consistent with this chapter, all of the following:
1. The most recent standards regarding electronic records promulgated by national bodies, such as the National Association of Secretaries of State.
2. Standards, practices, and customs of other jurisdictions that substantially enact the revised uniform law on notarial acts (2018) or any subsequent version of this act.
3. The views of governmental officials, entities, and other interested persons.
(2) The department has the power, jurisdiction, and authority to do any of the following:
(a) Investigate to determine whether a person has violated, is violating, or is about to violate this chapter or a rule promulgated or order issued under this chapter. For the purpose of an investigation under the chapter, the department may administer oaths and affirmations, issue subpoenas, take evidence, require the filing of statements, require testimony, and require the production of any records that the department considers relevant or material to the investigation.
(b) Revoke, suspend, or restrict any commission or registration issued under this chapter if the department determines that the person holding the commission or registration has refused to comply with an investigation demand under par. (a) or has violated, is violating, or is about to violate this chapter or any rule promulgated or order issued under this chapter.
125,54
Section 54
. 140.30 of the statutes is created to read:
140.30 Uniformity of application and construction. In applying and construing this chapter, consideration must be given to the need to promote uniformity of the law with respect to its subject matter among states that enact it.
