The legislature has enacted, and the Governor has signed into law, Chapter 22 of the Acts of 2022 (available at: https://malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2022/Chapter22), effective February 12, 2022. Section 12 of this Act authorizes the use of “virtual” or electronic notarization in accordance with the specific requirements set forth therein, “[i]n order to address the disruptions caused by the outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, and subsequent variants.”
Section 12 takes effect retroactively as of December 15, 2021, and any notarial acts that occurred virtually in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 71 of the Acts of 2020 prior to the effective date of this Act are deemed valid. Section 12 of Chapter 22 of the Acts of 2022 will sunset on March 31, 2023, in accordance with section 5 of Chapter 107 of the Acts of 2022 (replacing original sunset date of July 15, 2022).