An Act To
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 0379
Committee Amendment CA_A_H50 (House)
Amends: 4 MRSA §951-A

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A " 
to H.P. 286, L.D. 379, Bill, "An Act To 
Amend the Notary Public Laws" 
Amend the bill by inserting before section 1 the following: 
'Sec. 1. 4 MRSA §951-A is enacted to read: 
§951-A. Commission signature 
1. Official signature. When performing a notarization, a notary public must sign by 
producing that notary public's official signature by hand in the same form as indicated on 
the notary public's commission. For the purposes of this section, the notary public's 
official signature is the signature that appears on the notary public's most recent oath of 
office or most recent application for a notary public commission. 
2. Change of signature. If the official signature of a notary public changes during 
the term of the notary public's commission, the notary public shall immediately provide 
the Secretary of State with a new sample of the notary public's official signature. 
Sec. 2. 5 MRS A §5, as amended by PL 2001, c. 667, Pt. C, § 1, is further amended 
to read: 
§5. Oath of office; before whom taken 
The Justices of the Supreme Judicial COUli and of the Superior Court, the Judges of 
the District Court and all state officials elected by the Legislature shall take and subscribe 
the oath or affirmation required by the Constitution, before the Governor. Every other 
person elected or appointed to any civil office shall take and subscribe the oath before 
any dedimus justice commissioned by the Governor for that purpose, except when the 
Constitution otherwise provides. 
A newly appointed notary public shall take and 
subscribe the oath or affirmation before a dedimus justice as required by section 82, 
subsection 3-A. 
Sec. 3. 5 MRSA §S2, sub-§3-A is enacted to read: 
Page I - 124LR0559(02)-1 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "~,, to H.P. 286, L.D. 379 
3-A. Oath. A newly appointed notary public shall take and subscribe the following 
.oath or affirmation before a dedimus justice: 
"I, (name), do swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and of 
. this State, so help me God." 
"I, (name), do swear that I will faithfully discharge, to the best of my abilities, the 
duties incumbent on me as a Notary Public according to the Constitution of Maine 
and laws of this State, so help me God." 
When a person is conscientiously scrupulous of taking an oath, the word "affirm" may be 
substituted for the word "swear" and the words "this I do under penalty of perjury" may 
be substituted for the words "so help me God." , 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment adds a requirement for a notary public to keep an official 
handwritten signature on file with the Secretary of State and, when performing a 
notarization, sign by producing that official signature by hand. It also clarifies that a 
newly appointed notary public must take an oath that mirrors the oath in the Constitution 
of Maine but without the requirement to be a citizen. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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Approved: 03127/09 ,;:!;pac 
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LD379 
LR 559(02) 
An Act To Amend the Notary Public Laws 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "A " 
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Committee: State and Local Government 
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Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Additional costs to the Secretary of State can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LR0559(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1