Bankers urge study to expand remote online notaries; committee adopts technical amendments

David Bonino, representing the Louisiana Bankers Association, told the Senate Judiciary A committee that SCR 35 asks the Louisiana State Law Institute to study whether Louisiana should expand the use of remote online notary (RON) procedures for so‑called authentic acts such as deeds and mortgage closings. "Back in 2020, the legislature passed legislation to authorize notaries to get certified to be able to use audiovisual technology to execute documents," Bonino said, adding that some document types were excluded then and that rural communities face a shortage of local notaries.

The committee adopted a staff technical amendment changing the wording that RON would be "deemed appropriate" rather than "necessary." Senator Carter pressed the presenter on safeguards, citing a recent closing in his office where staff raised competency concerns about the signer and saying he worried that an online process might miss signs of incapacity. Bonino and other supporters said that was precisely why the Law Institute study should evaluate identity verification providers, ID standards and the role of third‑party verification and continued notarization by a commissioned notary.

Committee staff also noted that stakeholders — including land title associations, clerk offices, notary groups and independent title agents — are included in the resolution's proposed review process. With no objections, the committee reported SCR 35 with adopted amendments.

The resolution does not itself change law; it requests a study with recommendations to the Legislature if changes to scope or procedure are considered necessary. The committee recorded no roll‑call vote on the resolution; the item was reported by voice vote.