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(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Secretary of State

SUMMARY

Synopsis of HJC Amendment

House Judiciary Committee amendment to House Bill 608 adds the word "telephonic" to the means in which to verify the electronic signing of a document found in the definition of "electronic authentication."

Synopsis of Original Bill

House Bill 608 amends the Electronic Authentication of Documents Act to make it technology neutral. This makes the act consistent with the Federal Electronic Signature in Global and National Commerce Act.

Significant Issues

The bill defines "technology neutrality" as the methods selected to carry out electronic authentication that do no require or accord greater legal status or effect to the implementation or application of a specific technology or technical specification for performing the functions of creating, storing, generating, receiving, communicating or authenticating electronic records or electronic signatures.

In addition, the bill transfers the responsibility of adopting rules to accomplish the purposes of the EADA from the Secretary of State to the Information Technology Commission. According to the Secretary of State, this is a positive change because the ITC has been given the task of adopting rules and standards for the state's information technology architecture.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The bill does not contain an appropriation or any significant fiscal implication.

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