AB293: Bill Text

AB293,13,25 (f) “Online notarial act" or “online notarization” means a notarial act, as defined in s. 706.07 (1) (c), performed by means of communication technology that meets the standards established by the department.

AB293,14,2 (g) “Online notary public” means a person appointed and holding a commission under s. 137.01 (2m).

AB293,14,3 (h) “Principal" means any of the following:

AB293,14,5 1. An individual whose electronic signature is notarized in an online notarization.

AB293,14,7 2. An individual taking an oath or affirmation from an online notary public but not in the capacity of a witness for the online notarial act.

AB293,14,9 (i) “Real time” means the actual span of uninterrupted time during which all parts of an online notarial act occur.

AB293,14,12 (j) “Remote presentation" means the transmission to an online notary public through communication technology of an image of a government-issued credential that is of sufficient quality to enable the online notary public to do all of the following:

AB293,14,13 1. Identify the individual appearing before the online notary public.

AB293,14,14 2. Perform a credential analysis.

AB293,14,16 (k) “United States” has the meaning given in s. 990.01 (44) but also includes a tribe, as defined in s. 822.02 (16).

AB293,14,19 (2) Authority to perform online notarizations. (a) An online notary public may perform online notarial acts for a person who is physically located in the United States.

AB293,14,21 (am) An online notary public may perform online notarial acts for a person who is physically located outside the United States if all of the following apply:

AB293,14,24 1. The online notarial act is not, to the notary's actual knowledge, prohibited in the jurisdiction where the person is physically located at the time of the online notarial act.

AB293,14,25 2. The online notarial act relates to any of the following:

AB293,15,2 a. A matter that is before a court, a governmental entity, or another entity in the United States.

AB293,15,3 b. Property located in the United States.

AB293,15,4 c. A transaction substantially connected to the United States.

AB293,15,6 (b) An online notary public must be physically located in this state in order to perform the online notarial act.

AB293,15,11 (3) Online notarization procedures. (a) An online notary public shall verify the identity of the person creating the electronic signature at the time the signature is taken by using communication technology that meets the requirements of this section and rules promulgated by the department. The identity may be verified by any of the following:

AB293,15,13 1. The online notary public's personal knowledge of the person creating the electronic signature.

AB293,15,14 2. The occurrence of all of the following:

AB293,15,17 a. The principal's remote presentation of a government-issued credential, including a passport or operator's license, that contains a signature and photograph of the principal.

AB293,15,19 b. The online notary public's application of credential analysis to the credential under subd. 2. a.

AB293,15,21 c. The online notary public's use of identity proofing with respect to the principal making the remote presentation under subd. 2. a.

AB293,15,24 (b) The online notary public shall take reasonable steps to ensure that the communication technology used for the online notarization is secure from unauthorized use.

AB293,16,3 (c) A principal for whom an online notarization is performed under this section is considered, for purposes of any other law, to appear personally before and be in the physical presence of the online notary public at the time of the online notarial act.

AB293,16,7 (d) 1. For each online notarial act performed under this section, the online notary public shall prepare an electronic certificate of notarial act that satisfies the requirements for a certificate of notarial act under s. 706.07 (7) and (8) except to the extent provided in subds. 2. to 4.

AB293,16,15 2. The electronic certificate of notarial act for an online notarial act shall clearly indicate that the principal appeared by remote presentation, and the face of the notarized record shall clearly indicate that it was notarized by means of an online notarial act. For purposes of the forms under s. 706.07 (8) and any other form authorized under s. 706.07 (7) (b), a principal for whom an online notarial act is performed is considered to be before the online notary public. An electronic certificate of notarial act for an online notarial act shall be in lieu of any written certificate.

AB293,16,21 3. For purposes of determining the jurisdiction in which an online notarial act is performed, the location of the online notary public shall be determinative. The commission expiration date appearing on the certificate shall be the expiration date of the commission as an online notary public, regardless of any other commission the notary public holds. The online notary public shall use on the electronic certificate the electronic notarial seal under s. 137.01 (3) (c).

AB293,16,25 4. By executing an electronic certificate of notarial act under this paragraph, the online notary public certifies that the online notary public has acted in compliance with this section. Section 706.07 (7) (c) does not apply with respect to an electronic certificate of notarial act.

AB293,17,2 (e) An online notarial act performed under this section involving the principal's remote presentation shall comply with the following minimum standards:

AB293,17,5 1. The online notary public shall use identity proofing that includes knowledge-based authentication with at least the following minimum security characteristics:

AB293,17,7 a. The principal shall be presented with 5 or more questions with a minimum of 5 possible answer choices per question.

AB293,17,11 b. Each question under subd. 1. a. shall be drawn from a 3rd-party provider of public and proprietary data sources and be identifiable to the principal's social security number or other identification information or the principal's identity and historical events records.

AB293,17,13 c. Responses to all questions under subd. 1. a. shall be made within a 2-minute time constraint.

AB293,17,15 d. The principal shall answer a minimum of 80 percent of the questions correctly.

AB293,17,17 e. The principal may be offered an additional attempt in the event of a failed first attempt.

AB293,17,19 f. During a second attempt, the principal may not be presented with more than 3 questions from the prior attempt.

AB293,17,23 2. The online notary public shall confirm that the principal's credential is valid and matches the principal's claimed identity by using credential analysis consisting of one or more automated software or hardware processes that scan the credential, including its format features, data, bar codes, or other security elements.

AB293,18,2 (4) Electronic record of online notarizations. (a) Subject to par. (e), an online notary public shall keep electronic records for online notarized documents and shall maintain the security of these records. These records shall include all of the following:

AB293,18,3 1. The date and time of the online notarial act.

AB293,18,4 2. The type of online notarial act.

AB293,18,5 3. A description of the online proceeding.

AB293,18,6 4. The name and address of each principal involved in the proceeding.

AB293,18,8 5. A notation of the type of credential provided by each principal involved in the proceeding to the online notary public.

AB293,18,9 6. The fee, if any, charged for the notarization.

AB293,18,12 (b) The online notary public shall create an audio and video copy of the performance of the online notarial act, which recording may provide satisfactory evidence of identification.

AB293,18,15 (c) The online notary public shall take reasonable steps to ensure the integrity and security of online notarizations, maintain a backup for all electronic records, and protect the backup records from unauthorized access and use.

AB293,18,17 (d) All electronic records shall be maintained for at least 7 years after the date of the transaction or proceeding associated with the record.

AB293,18,23 (e) An online notary public may, by written agreement, designate a repository to maintain the electronic records required under par. (a) and the audio and video recordings required under par. (b). The written agreement shall require the repository to maintain the security of these electronic records and to meet all applicable requirements of this paragraph and par. (c). The repository may be the employer of the online notary public.

AB293,19,2 (5) Use of electronic record, signature, and seal. (a) An online notary public shall take reasonable steps to ensure registered devices used to create electronic signatures are current and have not been revoked or terminated by the devices' issuing authority.

AB293,19,4 (b) An online notary public may not allow another person to use the online notary public's electronic signature.

AB293,19,7 (c) An online notary public shall immediately report to the department any loss, theft, or vandalism of the online notary public's electronic signature or electronic seal.

AB293,19,11 (6) Rule making. The department shall promulgate rules to implement this section and to facilitate online notarizations. These rules shall include standards for online notarization, credential analysis, identity proofing, and communication technology.

AB293,19,14 (7) Governing law. The validity of an online notarial act shall be determined by applying the laws of this state, regardless of the physical location of the principal at time of the online notarial act.

AB293,23 Section 23. 179.14 (1g) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB293,19,18 179.14 (1g) (b) “Electronic signature" means an electronic sound, symbol, or process, attached to, incorporated into, or logically associated with a writing and executed or adopted by a person with intent to authenticate the writing.

AB293,24 Section 24 . 180.0103 (7k) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB293,19,22 180.0103 (7k) “Electronic signature" means an electronic sound, symbol, or process, attached to, incorporated into, or logically associated with a writing and executed or adopted by a person with intent to authenticate the writing.

AB293,25 Section 25. 181.0103 (10p) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB293,20,3 181.0103 (10p) “Electronic signature" means an electronic sound, symbol, or process, attached to, incorporated into, or logically associated with a writing and executed or adopted by a person with intent to authenticate the writing.

AB293,26 Section 26. 183.0107 (1g) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB293,20,7 183.0107 (1g) (b) “Electronic signature" means an electronic sound, symbol, or process, attached to, incorporated into, or logically associated with a writing and executed or adopted by a person with intent to authenticate the writing.

AB293,27 Section 27. 193.005 (11p) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB293,20,11 193.005 (11p) “Electronic signature" means an electronic sound, symbol, or process, attached to, incorporated into, or logically associated with a writing and executed or adopted by a person with intent to authenticate the writing.

AB293,28 Section 28. 610.60 (4) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB293,20,18 610.60 (4) (e) If a provision of, or rule promulgated under, chs. 600 to 655 requires a signature or a notice or document to be notarized, acknowledged, verified, or made under oath, the requirement is satisfied if the electronic signature of the person authorized to perform those acts, together with all other information required to be included by the provision, is attached to, incorporated into, or logically associated with the signature, notice, or document.

AB293,29 Section 29. 706.001 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB293,20,22 706.001 (1) Subject to the exclusions in sub. (2) and subject to sub. (2m), this chapter shall govern every transaction by which any interest in land is created, aliened, mortgaged, assigned or may be otherwise affected in law or in equity.

AB293,30 Section 30. 706.001 (2m) of the statutes is created to read:

AB293,21,3 706.001 (2m) Section 706.07 is not limited in application to transactions by which an interest in land is created, aliened, mortgaged, assigned, or may be otherwise affected in law or in equity.

AB293,31 Section 31. 706.07 (8m) of the statutes is created to read:

AB293,21,6 706.07 (8m) Online notarial acts. (a) Notwithstanding sub. (1) (c), in this subsection, “online notarial act” has the meaning given in s. 137.195 (1) (f).

AB293,21,9 (b) Any online notarial act performed in accordance with s. 137.195 is considered to be performed in accordance with this section, and any online notary public performing such an act is an authorized notarial officer under this section.

AB293,32 Section 32. 706.25 (1) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB293,21,13 706.25 (1) (d) “Electronic signature" means an electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to, incorporated into, or logically associated with a document and executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign the document.

AB293,33 Section 33. 706.25 (2) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB293,21,20 706.25 (2) (c) A requirement that a document or a signature associated with a document be notarized, acknowledged, verified, witnessed, or made under oath is satisfied if the electronic signature of the person authorized to perform that act, and all other information required to be included, is attached to, incorporated into, or logically associated with the document or signature. A physical or electronic image of a stamp, impression, or seal need not accompany an electronic signature.

AB293,34 Section 34. 801.18 (1) (f) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB293,22,4 801.18 (1) (f) “Electronic signature" means an electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to, incorporated into, or logically associated with a record and executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign the document. For purposes of the electronic filing system, a document is electronically signed if it is submitted by or on behalf of a user or court official through the electronic filing system and bears the name of the user in the place where a signature would otherwise appear. “Electronic signature" includes only those signature technologies specifically approved by the director.

AB293,35 Section 35 . Effective date.

AB293,22,7 (1) This act takes effect on the first day of the 4th month beginning after publication.

AB293,22,8 (End)