For the second time, a bill was submitted in CA to permit Remote Online Notarization. It was withdrawn without going to a vote. While this is short-term good news for Independent notaries, all it really means is the big tech behind this bill will tweak it again and they’ll be baaaack. Not just in CA, but every state, sooner or later.
A single notary (Matt Miller/CA) organized “Oppose AB199” and did an excellent job of opposing it in the 2 minutes he was allowed, as did many other notaries who appeared at the open hearing. It was a temporary victory as the Bill was withdrawn without going to a vote. They will tweak and be baaack! Unfortunately, there is no written record of this. However, there was a written pdf Synopsis done, with footnotes.
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billAnalysisClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB199
(You may have to cut/paste into your browser.) When the link opens, click on “04/20/19- Assembly Judiciary”. I urge every notary to read it, save it and use it, edit if necessary, when this concept comes to your state.