SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Adriane Johnson has advanced legislation that would allow individuals with felony convictions to apply to become a notary.

“Everyone deserves a chance to move on from the mistakes of their past,” Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove). “People are striving to do the best that they can and are precluded from advancing their careers and their lives from past actions.”

Under current law, individuals who have been convicted of a felony cannot apply to become a notary. House Bill 4277 would allow individuals who have completed all requirements of felony sentences to apply to become a notary so long as it has been 10 years since the completion of their sentence.

The measure would only allow the individual to apply for appointment and commission as a notary, it does not guarantee a position. The applicant must still go through the typical process involved in becoming a notary.

House Bill 4277 passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.