Securing and Enabling Commerce Using Remote and Electronic Notarization Act of 2023

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1059, the SECURE Notarization Act.

Today, thanks to modern technology, we can oftentimes cash a check, book a flight, and lock and unlock our doors all from the convenience of our smartphone. But that same convenience does not exist for getting something notarized in many States.

People are often required to go through the notary process, the process of authenticating the signatory to a document for wills, mortgages, and purchasing or transferring valuable assets. Today, many States will require a person to physically appear before a notary public in order to complete this process.

Now, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person notarizations were not only inconvenient, but they also posed a health risk. In-person notarization requirements forced far too many consumers to choose between potentially exposing themselves to COVID-19 and purchasing a house or updating their wills.

To protect consumers and commerce, dozens of States enacted laws or took emergency actions to permit electronic and remote online notarizations. These notarizations allowed the consumer and the notary to execute notarizations through secure audiovisual communications.

As our lives have returned to a new normal, it has become apparent that electronic and remote online notarizations are a valuable tool for facilitating commerce and making these services more accessible.

Such tools are particularly important for vulnerable populations like the elderly, underserved communities, and others with mobility issues or lacking access to reliable and inexpensive transportation. But State action alone cannot assure universal access to electronic and remote online notarizations that meet robust security standards and consumer protections.

Our Nation lacks the universal standard for electronic and remote online notarizations. As a result, there is no standard that permits nationwide use of electronic and remote online notarizations. There is no standard that creates robust security requirements and there is no standard that ensures electronic and remote online notarizations are valid nationwide.

That is why I am proud to support the SECURE Notarization Act. This legislation will transition notarizations to the 21st century without sacrificing security, making the process more convenient and safer for the American public.

Last Congress, this bill was unanimously reported out of the Committee on Energy and Commerce and passed the House with broad bipartisan support. I commend Representative Dean for her leadership on this bipartisan legislation, and I strongly urge my colleagues to support the bill.

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Mr. PALLONE. Dean), the Democratic sponsor of this bill.

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Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I would urge support for this bill. Once again, it did pass the last time in Congress. We hope we can get it to the Senate. It is important to have a nationwide standard for notarization.

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