PRINTER'S NO. 2831
No. 2243 Session of 1991
INTRODUCED BY CORNELL, WOGAN, MRKONIC, KOSINSKI, REBER,
COLAIZZO, STABACK, PESCI, PHILLIPS, NAHILL, NICKOL, FOX,
HECKLER, ITKIN, GALLEN, SAURMAN, TRELLO, BUNT, TIGUE, BARLEY,
ARGALL, FARGO, SERAFINI, KENNEY, MICOZZIE, JOHNSON, GLADECK,
DENT, CLYMER, HAGARTY, NOYE, E. Z. TAYLOR, RICHARDSON,
STRITTMATTER AND STEELMAN, DECEMBER 9, 1991
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, DECEMBER 9, 1991
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of July 25, 1961 (P.L.849, No.367), entitled
2 "An act authorizing facsimile signatures and seals of certain
3 public officials; imposing duties upon the Secretary of the
4 Commonwealth; and providing penalties," authorizing facsimile
5 signatures by recorders of deeds.
6 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
7 hereby enacts as follows:
8 Section 1. Section 1 of the act of July 25, 1961 (P.L.849,
9 No.367), known as the Uniform Facsimile Signature of Public
10 Officials Act, amended December 10, 1974 (P.L.828, No.276), is
11 amended to read:
12 Section 1. Definitions.--As used in this act--
13 (a) "Public Security" means a bond, note, certificate of
14 indebtedness, or other obligation for the payment of money,
15 issued by this Commonwealth or by any of its departments,
16 agencies, authorities, other instrumentalities, any school
17 district, any county of the second class or any authority
1 created by school districts of the Commonwealth.
2 (b) "Instrument of Payment" means a check, draft, warrant,
3 or order for the payment, delivery, or transfer of funds.
4 (c) "Authorized Officer" means any official of this
5 Commonwealth or any of its departments, agencies, authorities,
6 other instrumentalities, any school district, any county of the
7 second class or any authority created by school districts of the
8 Commonwealth whose signature to a public security or instrument
9 of payment is required or permitted.
10 (d) "Facsimile Signature" means a reproduction by engraving,
11 imprinting, stamping, or other means of the manual signature of
12 an authorized officer.
13 (e) "Recorder of Deeds" means any duly elected or appointed
14 recorder of deeds, or other officer regardless of title, who
15 performs the functions of a recorder of deeds, of the several
16 counties of this Commonwealth, and duly appointed and qualified
17 deputies.
18 (f) "Certified Copy" means any document, record or writing
19 respecting which the several recorders of deeds of this
20 Commonwealth and/or their deputies are authorized to certify as
21 being an authentic duplicate of an original document filed of
22 record in the office of the recorder of deeds.
23 Section 2. The act is amended by adding sections to read:
24 Section 2.1. Facsimile Signature of Recorders of Deeds.--Any
25 recorder of deeds of this Commonwealth, after filing with the
26 Secretary of the Commonwealth his manual signature certified by
27 him under oath, may execute or cause to be executed with a
28 facsimile signature in lieu of his manual signature:
29 (a) Any mortgage satisfaction.
30 (b) Any certified copy of a document and/or docket entry
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1 duly recorded in the office of the recorder of deeds.
2 Upon compliance with this act by any recorder of deeds, his
3 facsimile signature has the same legal effect as his manual
4 signature.
5 Section 3.1. Use of Facsimile Seal by Recorders of Deeds.--
6 When the seal of any recorder of deeds of any county is required
7 in execution of a certified copy or mortgage satisfaction,
8 recorders of deeds of this Commonwealth may cause the seal to be
9 printed, engraved, stamped or otherwise placed in facsimile
10 thereon. The facsimile seal has the same legal effect as the
11 impression of the seal.
12 Section 3. Section 4 of the act, amended December 10, 1974
13 (P.L.828, No.276), is amended to read:
14 Section 4. Violation and Penalty.--Any person who with
15 intent to defraud uses on public security [or], an instrument of
16 payment, a mortgage satisfaction or a certified copy:
17 (a) A facsimile signature, or any reproduction of it, of any
18 authorized officer[,] or recorder of deeds.
19 (b) Any facsimile seal, or any reproduction of it, of this
20 Commonwealth or any of its departments, agencies, authorities,
21 other instrumentalities, any school district, any county of the
22 second class, any recorder of deeds, or any authority created by
23 school districts of the Commonwealth is guilty of a felony, and
24 on conviction, shall be sentenced to pay a fine not exceeding
25 five thousand dollars ($5,000) or undergo imprisonment by
26 separate or solitary confinement at labor not exceeding five
27 years, or both.
28 Section 4. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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