§ 42-30.1-16. Grounds to deny, refuse to renew, revoke, suspend, or condition commission of notary public.
(a) The commissioning officer may deny, refuse to renew, revoke, suspend, or impose a condition on a commission as notary public for any act or omission that demonstrates the individual lacks the honesty, integrity, competence, or reliability to act as a notary public, including without limitation:
(1) Failure to comply with this chapter;
(2) A fraudulent, dishonest, or deceitful misstatement or omission in the application for a commission as a notary public submitted to the commissioning officer and/or agency;
(3) A conviction of the applicant or notary public of any crime that involves fraud, dishonesty, or deceit; provided that in determining whether to deny, refuse to renew, revoke, suspend, or condition the commission, the commissioning officer shall consider such factors as the seriousness of the crime; whether the crime relates directly to the training and skills needed for the commission of a notary public; how much time has elapsed since the crime was committed; and the applicant’s actions and conduct since the crime was committed;
(4) A finding against, or admission of liability by, the applicant or notary public in any legal proceeding or disciplinary action based on the applicant’s or notary public’s fraud, dishonesty, or deceit;
(5) Use of false or misleading advertising or representation by the notary public representing that the notary public has a duty, right, or privilege that the notary public does not have;
(6) Denial, refusal to renew, revocation, suspension, or conditioning of a notary public commission in another state; or
(7) Termination or revocation of a certificate of admission to the Rhode Island bar or a certificate of public accountancy.
(b) If the commissioning officer denies, refuses to renew, revokes, suspends, or imposes conditions on a commission as a notary public, the applicant or notary public is entitled to timely notice and hearing in accordance with chapter 35 of this title.
(c) The authority of the commissioning officer to deny, refuse to renew, suspend, revoke, or impose conditions on a commission as a notary public does not prevent a person from seeking and obtaining other criminal or civil remedies provided by law.
History of Section.P.L. 2018, ch. 104, § 4; P.L. 2018, ch. 109, § 4.
Structure Rhode Island General Laws
Title 42 - State Affairs and Government
Chapter 42-30.1 - Uniform Law on Notarial Acts
Section 42-30.1-2. - Definitions.
Section 42-30.1-3. - Authority to perform notarial act.
Section 42-30.1-4. - Requirements for certain notarial acts.
Section 42-30.1-5. - Personal appearance required.
Section 42-30.1-6. - Identification of individual.
Section 42-30.1-7. - Authority to refuse to perform notarial act.
Section 42-30.1-8. - Signature if individual unable to sign.
Section 42-30.1-9. - Notarial act in this state.
Section 42-30.1-10. - Notarial act in another state.
Section 42-30.1-11. - Notarial act under federal authority.
Section 42-30.1-12. - Foreign notarial act.
Section 42-30.1-12.1. - Notarial act performed for remotely located individual.
Section 42-30.1-12.2. - Certificate of notarial act for a remotely located individual.
Section 42-30.1-13. - Official stamp.
Section 42-30.1-15. - Commission as notary public — Qualifications — No immunity or benefit.
Section 42-30.1-17. - Database of notaries public.
Section 42-30.1-18. - Prohibited acts.
Section 42-30.1-19. - Validity of notarial acts.
Section 42-30.1-20. - Fees for authentication of a notary public signature.
Section 42-30.1-20.1. - Fees to perform notarial acts.
Section 42-30.1-21. - Notary public — Fraud or deceit in office.
Section 42-30.1-22. - Notary public commission effect.
Section 42-30.1-23. - Savings clause.
Section 42-30.1-24. - Relation to electronic signatures in global and national commerce act.