§202.  Annual report; filing fee; penalties; suspension

A.  Except as provided in Subsection F of this Section, all regularly commissioned non-attorney notaries shall file an annual report with the secretary of state on or before the anniversary date of his commission on the form developed and mailed, or provided by electronic means, by the secretary of state pursuant to R.S. 35:191.2(2)(a), together with payment of the filing fee established by the secretary of state pursuant to R.S. 35:191.2(3).  The annual report shall be completed in full and signed by the notary.

B.  Except as provided in Subsection F of this Section, a notary who fails to timely file the required annual report and pay the filing fee pursuant to Subsection A of this Section shall be assessed a late fee not to exceed fifty dollars by the secretary of state.

C.  The commission of any notary who fails to timely file his fully completed annual report within sixty days after its due date as provided in Subsection A of this Section shall be automatically suspended, and the notary shall have no authority to exercise any of the duties or functions of a notary public until a current required annual report has been filed, and the notary has paid all accrued fees and late charges for a period not to exceed three years in connection with the suspension of his commission.

D.  All offices, agencies, and departments of the state and political subdivisions with authority to appoint certain persons as ex officio notaries or otherwise authorize persons to exercise any notarial powers pursuant to the revised statutes and codes of this state shall file an annual report on the form developed and mailed, or provided by electronic means, by the secretary of state pursuant to R.S. 35:191.2(2)(b), not later than the first day of July of each year.

E.  The secretary of state shall send by certified mail to any office, agency, department of the state, or political subdivision of the state which fails to timely file the required annual report within the delays provided by Subsection D of this Section a notice of such failure to timely file the required report.  The authority of a person appointed as an ex officio notary or otherwise authorized by the revised statutes and codes of this state to exercise the function of a notary public and the authority of any office, agency, department of the state, or political subdivision of the state to appoint ex officio notaries or to otherwise authorize persons to exercise notarial functions shall be suspended if the annual report is not filed within sixty days as provided in this Section.

F.  A notary granted a leave of absence by the governor pursuant to R.S. 35:131 or 132 shall not be subject to the fees or penalties established by Subsection A, B, or C of this Section during the term of his leave of absence.  However, a notary granted a leave of absence shall provide the secretary of state with a current address during such leave.

G.  A regularly commissioned non-attorney notary who is seventy years of age or older shall be permitted to elect a special commission status upon retirement from active service as a notary public by filing with the secretary of state a written request for such status along with an affidavit attesting to such status and certifying that he will no longer exercise the duties and functions of a notary public during such time as such status is in effect.  A notary with such inactive status shall not be required to maintain a bond or file an annual report.  However, a notary granted inactive status shall notify the secretary of state of any change of address to ensure the accuracy of information contained in the notary database maintained by the secretary of state.  A notary may resume active commission status by filing a current annual report with the required fees with the secretary of state and posting bond in the amount then required by law.

Acts 2003, No. 1142, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2004; Acts 2004, No. 206, §1, eff. June 14, 2004.