Report Title:

Signatures; Colored Ink

 

Description:

Requires recipients of legal documents to accept signatures written in any color ink.

 

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

541

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2001

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to signatures.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that although there is no legal requirement that signatures on legal documents be written in any particular color of ink, as a practical matter, most public and private offices will refuse to accept documents that contain signatures in any color but black. This informal "requirement" recognized that copying equipment often could not effectively copy signatures and other writings in colors other than black. The legislature recognizes that newer, more sophisticated technologies used in printing and reproducing documents make it difficult to distinguish the original signature from a copy. More importantly, this equipment effectively copies writings in colors other than black.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to require recipients of any legal documents to accept those documents containing signatures written in any color ink, provided that the ink is permanent and indelible.

SECTION 2. The Hawaii Revised Statutes is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§ - Use of colored ink in signatures on legal documents. (a) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, legal documents may be signed using any color of ink, provided that the ink is permanent and indelible in nature. The intended recipient of such a document may not refuse to accept such a document solely on the basis that the color of the ink used in a signature on the document is not black.

(b) This section does not apply to electronic signatures under chapter 489E."

SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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