Senate bill would let a document be self-authenticated

A Senate bill that would propose allowing documents to be self-authenticated without being notarized passed a House committee Tuesday and was placed on the consent calendar.

SB154, sponsored by Sen. Scott McCoy, D-Salt Lake, proposes to allow a document to be self-authenticated if the person signing does so under penalty of perjury, which is a class-B misdemeanor, punishable by six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

McCoy told members of the House Judiciary Standing Committee said the change in the law would benefit rural law enforcement, small businesses and others by sparing them the trouble of seeking out a registered notary to have a document notarized.

Some committee members questioned how the change would guard against forged signatures without a notary witness. McCoy said he was not aware of this being a problem and noted the bill mirrors the rule already in place in the federal courts.

The committee voted unanimously to recommend the bill.