Tyler, Texas — A veteran notary who has served families, businesses and medical facilities across East Texas is sounding the alarm on a new state proposal that could add a daunting responsibility to her work. House Bill 733, introduced by Rep. Joanne Shofner (R-Nacogdoches), would require every Texas notary to verify whether a client is associated with a designated foreign terrorist organization before notarizing documents. Failure to do so could result in a state jail felony charge for a prohibited notarization committed with criminal negligence.
Local impact on notary services
Francine Bowen, owner of Tyler Notary, has spent three years traveling to hospitals, schools, law offices and real‑estate closings to provide essential notarizations. “As a notary, it is my job to verify identity and to verify their signature on the documents necessary,” Bowen said. “Everybody needs a notary.” However, she stressed that determining a person’s affiliation with a terrorist organization is far beyond her ordinary duties.
“I’m here to provide a service for Americans and for people in our community,” Bowen explained. “It is not part of my work description to be able to figure out who is affiliated with terrorists and who is not.” Bowen added that while she supports protecting the community, the bill must include clear, practical instructions on how notaries are to make such determinations.
Legislative intent and safeguards
Associate professor of political science Steven Galatas of Stephen F. Austin State University said the proposal appears aimed at limiting the ability of foreign terrorists to access financial resources in Texas. “The more that we can limit the access of foreign terrorists to financial resources, the more that we can engage in activities that will limit the ability of foreign terrorists to operate within our state and our country, that would be a benefit to all of us,” Galatas said.
According to the bill, the Texas Secretary of State’s Office would supply notaries with a list of designated foreign terrorist organizations and provide educational materials to help implement the new requirement. “The Secretary of State’s office will provide a list of foreign terrorist designated organizations by the state of Texas to every notary,” Galatas noted. “And in addition to that… the Secretary of State’s office would be providing educational materials to the notaries to help implement this.”
Concerns about practicality and fairness
Bowen expressed worry that the lack of specific verification procedures could lead to inadvertent criminal liability for honest notaries and could unintentionally stereotype clients. “I absolutely understand the importance of protecting our community and the security of our state,” she said, “but it is important that the legislation has clearly written guidance on how we are to determine this information and how we are to move forward with it.”
The bill is currently pre‑filed and must pass through the legislative process before it can be signed into law. If enacted, it would take effect on September 1, 2027, with the Secretary of State required to adopt rules and provide a required form for new and renewing notaries by December 1, 2027.
Next steps
State Rep. Shofner’s office indicated a statement would be forthcoming, but none had been received at the time of publication. Local notaries, small‑business owners and community members are watching the proposal closely, weighing the balance between enhanced security and the practical burdens placed on everyday professionals who serve as trusted points of contact for ordinary citizens.
As the bill moves forward, Tyler Notary and other East Texas notaries hope the legislature will address their concerns, ensuring that any new security measures are both effective and workable for the professionals tasked with carrying them out.
Original reporting: KLTV 7 Tyler (news) — read the source article.
