WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER, Governor Ch. 378

(c) Applications for original appointment as a notary
public shall be made on forms prepared by the Secretary of State
and shall be sworn to by the applicant, and must bear thereon or
be accompanied by the written approval of a senator representing
the senatorial district and subdistrict in which the applicant
resides. An out-of-state court reporter shall make an
application for original appointment as a notary public as
described above through a Maryland State Senator. Completed
applications shall be filed with the Secretary of State. When
the appointment is made by the Governor, the Secretary of State
shall so notify the applicant.

[(d) (1) Appointments made and commissions issued following
the effective date of the section shall be for a term ending July
1, 1974, and July 1 of each fourth year thereafter. Terms which
commenced on or after July 1, 1967, are extended to July 1, 1970.

(2) The term for an out-of-state court reporter
notary public is 4 years. Appointments made and commissions
issued for out-of-state court reporters following the effective
date of this section shall be for a term ending July 1, 1986, and
on July 1 of each fourth year thereafter.]

(D) (1) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS

SUBSECTION, EACH NOTARY PUBLIC COMMISSION ISSUED SHALL BE FOR A
TERM ENDING ON THE FOURTH BIRTHDAY OF THE NOTARY FOLLOWING THE
DATE OF ITS ISSUANCE.

(2) FOR A COMMISSION EXPIRING JULY 1, 1990, THE
SECRETARY OF STATE SHALL, UPON APPLICATION, ISSUE A NOTARY PUBLIC
COMMISSION FOR A TERM ENDING ON THE SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH, OR
FIFTH BIRTHDAY OF THE NOTARY, FOLLOWING THE ISSUANCE OF THE
COMMISSION. IT SHALL BE WITHIN THE DISCRETION OF THE SECRETARY
OF STATE WHICH COMMISSION TERM A NOTARY IS ISSUED IN ACCORDANCE
WITH THIS SECTION.

(D) (1) THE TERM OF A NOTARY PUBLIC COMMISSION IS 4 YEARS.

(2) THE SECRETARY OF STATE SHALL ADOPT, BY
REGULATION, A STAGGERED SYSTEM FOR THE EXPIRATION AND RENEWAL OF
NOTARY PUBLIC COMMISSIONS.

(e) Notary public commissions may be renewed from term to
term, and the Secretary of State shall issue [notice] AN
APPLICATION of renewal to the notary public at or prior to the
expiration of the term of the existing commission. UPON RECEIPT
OF A SATISFACTORY APPLICATION OF RENEWAL FROM THE NOTARY PUBLIC,
THE SECRETARY SHALL ISSUE NOTICE OF RENEWAL TO THE NOTARY PUBLIC.
Within thirty (30) days after the issuance by the Secretary of
State of notice of appointment or renewal the notary public shall
qualify before the appropriate clerk of the court and pay the
fees herein prescribed. An out-of-state court reporter
commissioned as a notary public shall qualify before the clerk of

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