Posted by FlaNotary2 on 6/17/11 5:45am
Msg #386565

Florida notaries - did anyone notice that our birth years

have been removed from the DOS database?

http://notaries.dos.state.fl.us/not001.html

I also noticed that my address has been removed, and it previously was posted in full.

Reply by jba/fl on 6/17/11 6:25am
Msg #386567

I did today. About time. n/m

Reply by FlaNotary2 on 6/17/11 7:15am
Msg #386570

I agree

We were some of the only public officials whose birthdates and residential addresses were posted online for public inspection. (I know many notaries only had their city and zip code listed, but my entry previously showed my entire residential address)

Reply by PAW on 6/17/11 8:23am
Msg #386574

Noticed that a day or so ago. Maybe this means they are actually reading the emails that we send them. (I sent an email about this in 2000. Eleven years to reply or act ... not bad for the gov't.)

Reply by FlaNotary2 on 6/17/11 8:33am
Msg #386576

I tried to get my Local Rep to sponsor a bill that would

have removed notaries' personal information from the website. IMO, the database should only allow members of the public to verify that a notary is actively commissioned. The public does not need to know our birthdates or addresses.

In addition, any notary who is served with a subpoena to testify in court/at a deposition, should be served through the Secretary of State like every other public officer, IMO. Maybe this will start happening now that addresses can't be obtained from the website.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 6/17/11 8:37am
Msg #386579

Disagree - that means you're appointing the SOS

as your agent for service of process - and IMO thereby creating a representative or agency capacity -

Direct subpoena to the notary should stay in place IMO - believe me, if they want us they'll find us - let them subpoena the SOS for our records....or just google

Reply by FlaNotary2 on 6/17/11 8:47am
Msg #386580

It isn't just for agencies

If you want to serve the Commissioner of Agriculture, the Governor, the Director of the Division of Driver Licenses, etc., you have to serve them through the SOS. Notaries public, as officers of the state, should be afforded the same privilege.

On another note, I've been told that the SOS is accepting new applications for new bonding agents in Florida.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 6/18/11 5:57pm
Msg #386838

Re: It isn't just for agencies

Aren't all those people you named actual employees of the state? Seems like a very major distinction to me. Also, the types of positions similar to what you mentioned I'm guessing would be relatively small in number vs. the many thousands of NPs in the state.

I agree with your point about personal info being posted online, though. Not a good idea. I'll have to take another look at what California has posted. (That is, once I find a new program to unzip the file. My Winzip trial ran out and since I seem to use it about once every other year, I'm not buying it - especially now! )

Anyone else happen to know?

Reply by HisHughness on 6/18/11 6:10pm
Msg #386841

Robert is really heavy into boosting...

...the image and apparent significance of the notary public. I have the feeling that anyone who has the poor judgment to describe his role as "just a notary public" risks walking away with a stamp shoved up his keister.

It's great to enjoy your profession. It's fine to be proud of your profession. Sometimes, though, it may be asking a bit too much to expect that <other> people take the same degree of pride in your profession that you do.

One indication you may have reached that point is when even your colleagues in the profession look at you a bit askance.