A242

An Act concerning legal signatures, amending R.S.1:1-2, and supplementing Title 19 of the Revised Statutes.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. R.S.1:1-2 is amended to read as follows:

1:1-2 Unless it be otherwise expressly provided or there is something in the subject or context repugnant to such construction, the following words and phrases, when used in any statute and in the Revised Statutes, shall have the meaning herein given to them.

Affirmation; affirmed. See "Oath; sworn," infra, this section.

Assessor. The word "assessor," when used in relation to the assessment of taxes or water rents or other public assessments, includes all officers, boards or commissions charged with the duty of making such assessments, unless a particular officer, board or commission is specified.

Census. When used with reference to the population of this State, or of any subdivision thereof, the word "census" means the latest Federal census effective within this State.

Collector. The word "collector," when used in relation to the collection of taxes or water rents or other public assessments, includes all officers charged with the duty of collecting such taxes, water rents or assessments, unless a particular officer is specified.

Folio; sheet. A sheet or folio shall consist of 100 words, and in all cases where an entry of any writing or copy is to be paid for, the sheet or folio shall consist of 100 words.

Gender. See "Number; gender," infra, this section.

General election. The words "general election" shall be taken to mean the annual election to be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November and in any statute in which it is provided that any public officer shall be elected, or any public question shall be voted upon, at an election at which members of the General Assembly are to be voted for or elected, or words to that effect, shall be taken to mean, and shall be construed to be the equivalent of a provision, that said public officers shall be elected, or that said public question shall be voted upon, "at a general election."

He. "Number; gender," infra, this section.

Inhabitants. See "Population; inhabitants," infra, this section.

It. See "Number; gender," infra, this section.

Magistrate. The word "magistrate" includes any judge, municipal magistrate or officer or other person having the powers of a committing magistrate.

Masculine. See "Number; gender," infra, this section.

Month; year. The word "month" means a calendar month, and the word "year" means a calendar year.

Municipality: municipal corporation. The words "municipality" and "municipal corporation" include cities, towns, townships, villages and boroughs, and any municipality governed by a board of commissioners or an improvement commission.

Neuter. See "Number; gender," infra, this section.

Number; gender. Whenever, in describing or referring to any person, party, matter or thing, any word importing the singular number or masculine gender is used, the same shall be understood to include and to apply to several persons or parties as well as to 1 person or party and to females as well as males, and to bodies corporate as well as individuals, and to several matters and things as well as 1 matter or thing.

Oath; sworn. The word "oath" includes "affirmation"; and the word "sworn" includes "affirmed."

Other property. See "Property; other property," infra, this section.

Person. The word "person" includes corporations, companies, associations, societies, firms, partnerships and joint stock companies as well as individuals, unless restricted by the context to an individual as distinguished from a corporate entity or specifically restricted to 1 or some of the above enumerated synonyms and, when used to designate the owner of property which may be the subject of an offense, includes this State, the United States, any other State of the United States as defined infra and any foreign country or government lawfully owning or possessing property within this State.

Personal property. "Personal property" includes goods and chattels, rights and credits, moneys and effects, evidences of debt, choses in action and all written instruments by which any right to, interest in, or lien or encumbrance upon, property or any debt or financial obligation is created, acknowledged, evidenced, transferred, discharged or defeated, in whole or in part, and everything except real property as herein defined which may be the subject of ownership.

Plural. See "Number; gender," supra, this section.

Population; inhabitants. The word "population," when used in any statute, shall be taken to mean the population as shown by the latest Federal census effective within this State, and shall be construed as synonymous with "inhabitants."

Property; other property. The words "property" and "other property," unless restricted or limited by the context to either real or personal property, includes both real and personal property.

Real estate; real property. The words "real estate" and "real property," include lands, tenements and hereditaments and all rights thereto and interests therein.

Registered mail. The words "registered mail" include "certified mail."

Revised Statutes. The words "Revised Statutes" mean the Revised Statutes of 1937, unless some other revision is expressly indicated or referred to.

Revision law. The words "Revision law" means any statute which is expressed in its title or body to be a revision of any part of the statutory law.

She. See "Number; gender," supra, this section.

Sheet. See "Folio," supra, this section.

Ship. The word "Ship" includes vessels, steamers, canal boats and every boat or structure adapted to navigation or movement from place to place, upon the ocean, lakes, rivers or artificial waterways, either by its own power or otherwise.

Signature. The word “Signature” means the proper handwriting of the person, except that if the person is unable to write because of a disability, the person may provide an identifying mark or a clear and classifiable fingerprint made electronically or with ink or another substance. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to permit the use of an identifying mark or fingerprint in lieu of a handwritten signature if expressly prohibited by law, and nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to require any person to provide a fingerprint for signature purposes.

Singular. See "Number; gender," supra, this section.

State. The word "State" extends to and includes any State, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia and the Canal Zone.

Sworn. See "Oath; sworn," supra, this section.

Taxing district. The words "taxing district," when used in a law relating to the assessment or collection of taxes, assessments or water rates or water rents, include every political division of the State, less than a county, whose inhabitants, governing body or officers have the power to levy taxes, assessments or rates.

Territory. The word "territory" extends to and includes any territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia and the Canal Zone.

United States. The words "United States" extend to and include every State, territory and possession of the United States, the District of Columbia and the Canal Zone.

Year. See "Month; year," supra, this section.

(cf: P.L.1960, c.187, s.1)

2. (New section) Whenever a registrant is required to provide a signature for the purposes of this Title and the registrant is unable to write because of a disability, the registrant may provide an identifying mark or a clear and classifiable fingerprint in such form as may be authorized by the Division of Elections in the Department of State. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require any registrant to provide a fingerprint for signature purposes. If a registrant who is unable to write declines to provide a fingerprint or other identifying mark for the purposes of verifying the person’s identity for the purposes of this Title, the person’s identity shall be verified as otherwise provided by law.

3. Each department, division, and agency in the State shall make available to the public, on its Internet website, information concerning the provisions of this act.

4. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill clarifies that, in situations where a person is unable to write because of a disability, the person will be permitted to execute a legal signature using an identifying mark or a fingerprint. The bill specifies that the ability to execute a legal signature using a fingerprint or identifying mark is permitted unless expressly prohibited by law. Nothing in the bill is to be construed to require any person to provide a fingerprint against the person’s will.

The bill additionally includes an express provision permitting the use of an identifying mark or fingerprint in lieu of a written signature for voting purposes. If a person who is unable to write declines to use an identifying mark or fingerprint signature for voting, the person’s identity may be verified as otherwise provided by law.

The bill will require each department, division, and agency in the State to make available to the public, on its Internet website, information concerning the provisions of the bill.