SB289 Alabama 2024 Session

Updated Feb 23, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Merika ColemanSenator
Democrat
Session: Regular Session 2024
Title: Notaries Public, recognize that licensed professionals may notarize documents as part of their profession
Summary: SB289 lets licensed professionals and their employees who are commissioned as notaries perform notarial acts as part of their professional services, despite the usual prohibition on notaries with a financial interest.
What This Bill Does
The bill adds a new section to Alabama law that defines professional service and professional. It creates an exception to the existing ban on notaries with a financial interest, allowing a licensed professional who is a notary to perform any acknowledgment or notarial act needed to provide their professional service. It also lets an employee of such a professional, who is commissioned as a notary, perform those acts in the normal course of delivering the service. The act takes effect on October 1, 2024.

Who It Affects
Licensed professionals who hold a professional license (for example, attorneys, accountants, or real estate brokers) and are commissioned as notaries.
Employees of those licensed professionals who are commissioned as notaries and perform notarial acts as part of delivering the professional service.

Key Provisions
Adds Section 36-20-70.1 to the Alabama Code.
Defines 'professional service' as a service that may be lawfully performed only under a licensed professional and defines 'professional' as the license holder.
Provides an exception to the prohibitions in Section 36-20-70, allowing a professional who is commissioned as a notary to perform any acknowledgment or notarial act required to provide the professional service.
Allows an employee of a licensed professional who is commissioned as a notary to perform the same notarial acts in the normal course of providing that service for which they are paid.
Effective date: October 1, 2024.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: State & State Officers