LOS ANGELES, CALIF - Rhode Island Notaries are now empowered to better protect the public against identity crimes and fraudulent transactions due to a recent Executive Order issued by Rhode Island Governor Donald L. Carcieri with the support of Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis. As a result, these forward-looking leaders were recognized for their efforts during an important gathering of the state's Notaries in Providence on November 10, 2009.
"Governor Carcieri and Secretary Mollis are each to be commended for their commitment to the office of the Notary Public in the state of Rhode Island," according to Chief Executive Officer of the National Notary Association, Larisa B. Gurnick: "Their leadership serves as an example to other states that the Notary Public office plays a critical role in the preservation of the public trust."
The National Notary Association (NNA), the voice of America's 4.8 million Notaries Public, presented Governor Carcieri and Secretary of State Mollis with the coveted Calvin Coolidge Notary Award in recognition of their landmark order establishing the state's first Standards of Conduct for Notaries Public. The NNA created the award, named for the thirtieth president of the United States, to honor government officials who heighten the professionalism and effectiveness of the Notary Public office by spearheading reforms. Previous recipients include New Hampshire State Representative Cynthia Dokomo, New Mexico Secretary of State Rebecca Virgil-Giron, and Missouri Secretary of State Matt Blunt.
The award presentation took place at the Renaissance Providence Hotel during one of two Notary seminars presented by the NNA to outline the provisions of the Governor's order. A second seminar was held at the Radisson Warwick on November 12.
The executive order is a historic, sweeping and comprehensive guide for Notaries which represents a major effort to establish guidelines that will assist Notaries in performing their notarial acts. As the provisions of the Governor's order are broad and profound, the National Notary Association urged the state's Notaries to attend an education seminar to learn about the many changes that have been made to their notarial responsibilities. Amendments issued by the Secretary of State were included in the seminars, and underscored the attention that the new standards received from the Secretary's office.
The NNA had strongly recommended employers throughout the state avoid possible liability by ensuring their staff Notaries were properly trained in the new regulations and that their actions are closely monitored.
"Serving as a Notary Public comes with significant responsibility to uphold public trust. This is a great first step to provide Notaries Public with best practices that protect both the Notary Public and members of the general public," said Governor Carcieri, who established the Standards of Conduct by Executive Order (09-08) in April 2009. "Through a collaborative effort between my office and the Secretary of State, we are better served to protect the public against identity theft and fraud."
About the National Notary Association
Established in 1957, the National Notary Association (NNA) is the leading professional authority on the American Notary office and is dedicated to educating, serving and advocating for the nation's 4.8 million Notaries. The NNA imparts comprehensive notarial knowledge and understanding, promotes a positive public perception of the Notary professional, and bolsters consumer protection by promoting best practices. The Association's accredited professional programs, services and model legislation help Notaries advance their careers and serve the American public with the highest level of professionalism and ethics. To learn more, visit www.nationalnotary.org