News release
Sen. Suzette Martinez Valladares, R-Acton, announced Monday that Acting Gov. Monique Limon signed her legislation, Senate Bill 1080, into law, modernizing the way county clerks certify official documents by authorizing the use of electronic, digital, and facsimile signatures and seals on certified records.
“Good government means efficient government,” Valladares said in a news release. “Californians should not have to navigate an outdated, paper-based bureaucracy when secure, modern alternatives exist. SB 1080 is a common-sense modernization that saves time, cuts red tape, and makes government work better for the people it serves.”
Under existing law, county recorders already have authority to certify documents electronically. County Clerks did not have that same authority, creating an inconsistency that forced them to continue producing physical copies with wet signatures and physical seals, a time-consuming and labor-intensive process increasingly out of step with how Californians access public services, the release said.
SB 1080 closes that gap, according to the release. By authorizing electronic, digital and facsimile certification for county clerks, the legislation brings statutory consistency across county departments while preserving the authenticity and legal validity of all certified documents.
“This is exactly what government modernization should look like,” Valladares added. “No new bureaucracy. No new spending. Just a smarter, more efficient system that respects people’s time and makes it easier to access the services they need. I am proud this legislation is now the law for local governments across California.”
SB 1080 was among four bills signed into law by Limón on June 17, marking the first time a Latina has served as acting governor of California. Limón, a Santa Barbara County Democrat who serves as Senate president pro tempore, assumed the role while Gov. Gavin Newsom was out of state.
