An Act To Amend the Conflict of Interest Laws for Notaries Public
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 4 MRSA §954-A, as amended by PL 1999, c. 425, §1, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:
§ 954-A. Conflict of interest if notary related
1. Familial relationships; conflict of interest. A notary public may not perform a notarial act for a person if that person is the notary public's:
A. Spouse;
B. Parent;
C. Sibling;
D. Child;
E. Registered domestic partner as provided in Title 22, section 2710;
F. Spouse's parent;
G. Spouse's sibling;
H. Spouse's child;
I. Child's spouse;
J. Registered domestic partner's parent;
K. Registered domestic partner's sibling;
L. Registered domestic partner's child;
M. Registered domestic partner's child's spouse;
N. Grandparent;
O. Grandparent's spouse;
P. Grandchild;
Q. Grandchild's spouse;
R. Registered domestic partner's grandparent;
S. Registered domestic partner's grandparent's spouse;
T. Registered domestic partner's grandchild; or
U. Registered domestic partner's grandchild's spouse.
2. Additional relationships. Relationships other than those specified under subsection 1 formed by virtue of remarriage and not by blood, commonly described by using the prefix "step," are also considered a conflict of interest for the purposes of subsection 1.
3. Solemnization of certain marriages permitted. Notwithstanding subsections 1 and 2, a notary public may solemnize the marriage of a person under subsection 1, paragraph B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, N, P, R or T.
4. Exception. This section does not affect or apply to notarial acts performed before the effective date of this subsection.
summary
This bill adds relationships to the list of relationships considered to pose a conflict of interest for a notary public in the conduct of the notary public's responsibilities. It allows a notary public to solemnize the marriage of some family members.