BILL NUMBER: AB 2747	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Committee on Judiciary (Assembly Members Wieckowski
(Chair), Alejo, Chau, Dickinson, Garcia, Muratsuchi, and Stone)

                        MARCH 4, 2014

   An act to amend Section 8214.15 of the Government Code, relating
to notaries public.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2747, as introduced, Committee on Judiciary. Notaries public:
civil penalties.
   Existing law authorizes the Secretary of State to appoint and
commission notaries public in such number as the secretary deems
necessary for the public convenience. Existing law authorizes the
secretary to refuse to appoint any person as notary public or to
revoke or suspend the commission of any notary public upon specified
grounds. Existing law also makes specified violations by a notary
public punishable by a civil penalty not to exceed $750 or $1,500.
   This bill would make a willful failure by a notary public to
discharge fully and faithfully any of the duties or responsibilities
of a notary public punishable by a civil fine not to exceed $1,500.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 8214.15 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
   8214.15.  (a) In addition to any commissioning or disciplinary
sanction, a violation of subdivision (f), (i), (l), (m), or (p) of
Section 8214.1  , or a willful violation of subdivision (d) of
Section 8214.1,  is punishable by a civil penalty not to exceed
one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500).
   (b) In addition to any commissioning or disciplinary sanction, a
violation of subdivision (h), (j), or (k) of Section 8214.1, or a
negligent violation of subdivision (d) of Section 8214.1 is
punishable by a civil penalty not to exceed seven hundred fifty
dollars ($750).
   (c) The civil penalty may be imposed by the Secretary of State if
a hearing is not requested pursuant to Section 8214.3. If a hearing
is requested, the hearing officer shall make the determination.
   (d) Any civil penalties collected pursuant to this section shall
be transferred to the General Fund. It is the intent of the
Legislature that to the extent General Fund moneys are raised by
penalties collected pursuant to this section, that money shall be
made available to the Secretary of State's office to defray its costs
of investigating and pursuing commissioning and monetary remedies
for violations of the notary public law.