Hello everyone, We know things have been a little quiet here in the forum, and we want to take a moment to check in. While you may not be seeing daily updates, please understand that work is actively happening behind the scenes every single day. We have been in contact with multiple legislators, both past and present, as well as other state officials, continuing to push forward on issues that matter to New Jersey notaries. These conversations take time, persistence, and follow-through, and we are fully engaged in that process. Our commitment remains the same: to advance the profession, strengthen standards, and provide meaningful, accessible education to notaries across the state. That mission is driving everything we are doing right now. We appreciate your patience and your continued support. Your involvement and trust allow us to keep moving forward, even when progress is not always visible in real time. Team NJNA

277 Miles. 6 Legislators. 21 County Clerks. One Message: New Jersey Is Failing Its Notaries. This week, I personally delivered comprehensive evidence packets to every original sponsor (that is still in office) of the 2021 notary modernization law (P.L.2021, c.179). The drive totaled 277 miles. The packets included our full legislative report, the letter to Treasurer Binder, and a copy of the Garden State Notary textbook. In addition, we mailed packets to all 21 county clerks across New Jersey. Each clerk received a letter and a copy of the textbook. The message to both legislators and clerks was simple: The law you wrote promised six hours of education. The State provides 45 minutes of video. We need your help. Here is where things stand: Third OPRA Request – Denied, But No Privilege Log On April 6, 2026, the State denied our third OPRA request (W249781). We had asked for records about the creation of the 45-minute videos and the decision to exclude independent vendors. The denial did not say "no records exist." Instead, the State claimed a "deliberative material" exemption. But they provided no privilege log. No list of what records they are withholding. No explanation of why each record qualifies for the exemption. Without a privilege log, their claim is procedurally defective. It also strongly suggests that records do exist. Emails about why the videos are only 45 minutes. Contracts with producers. Internal discussions about excluding vendors. We will be filing a complaint with the Government Records Council (GRC) challenging this denial. What This Means for NJNA Members The State is not being transparent. They are not saying "we have nothing to hide." They are saying "we will not show you." But here is what we know: - The State has no records of any education program oversight (first OPRA response) - The State admits it "opted" to be the sole provider and never created a vendor approval process (second OPRA response) - The State is now refusing to release records about the 45-minute videos and the vendor decision, claiming exemption but providing no privilege log (third OPRA response)

We have completed a comprehensive report on the status of state issued notary education in New Jersey. These reports are being prepared for delivery to the State Treasurer, the Notary Public Unit, the legislators who sponsored the 2021 notary education law, and all twenty one county clerks. The reports are printed and nearly ready to go. Mailing them statewide will be expensive, and funding is running a bit low. Here are three simple ways you can help support this effort: 1. Tell your notary colleagues about the New Jersey Notary Association and encourage them to join. Membership is $35 per year and provides full access to our video course library with nearly seven hours of New Jersey specific notary education. 2. Purchase your copy of Garden State Notary. NJNA members have access to a special pricing link located on the Classroom tab. 3. Members may also make a tax deductible contribution to the NJNA Foundation, our registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to notarial education and public awareness. See NJNA website to donate. Thanks friends. We appreciate your support of NJNA and your fellow NJ Notaries Public. Patrick

Hey Friends, check out the NJNA facebook page. A contest has just been posted to promote and show off your business cards. First place will receive an NJNA lifetime free membership and second place will receive a $20 Wawa Gift Card. Here is the post: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1azWd4XDHm/

VIEW THE REPORT------------> Click here! SIGN THE PETITION---------> Click here! Fellow Notaries, I'm writing this post not as President of NJNA, but as one notary to another. And I need to be direct with you about something that's been weighing on me for months. You've come to know me through my activism and the collosal amount of work it took to create NJNA. You know I've been doing this for over twenty years. You know I don't sound alarms lightly. So please hear me when I say this: THE STATE IS FAILING US. AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY'RE FAILING THE PUBLIC. WHAT I'VE FOUND: Over the past several months, I've been digging into how the state implemented the 2021 notary law, the one that promised six hours of education and a meaningful exam. Here's what I found: THE EDUCATION: The state's primary educational offering is a series of online videos. I timed them. All of them. 45 minutes and 7 seconds. That's it. That's what the State of New Jersey provides to satisfy a six hour mandate. We get 12.5 percent of what we were promised. And what's in those 45 minutes? Statutory definitions. Lists of requirements. Words read aloud from a screen. There's no practical instruction. No how to guidance. No scripts. No instruction on handling difficult situations. THE EXAM: The law requires an examination "to determine the fitness" of applicants. That's the actual language. What did the state implement? An open book test. Online. No proctoring. No identity verification. No lockdown browser. And here's the part that kept me up at night: the full exam questions and answers are publicly available online. Anyone can find them. Anyone can pass without knowing a thing. An applicant could: - Watch none of the videos - Read none of the manual - Find the answers online - Pass the exam - Receive a commission - Perform notarizations on real documents