In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. “Authorized officer” means any official of the State or any of its political subdivisions whose signature to a public security or instrument of payment is required or permitted. “Facsimile signature” means a reproduction by engraving, imprinting, stamping, or other means of the manual signature of any authorized officer. “Instrument of payment” means a check, draft, warrant, or order for the payment, delivery, or transfer of funds. “Public security” means a bond, note, certificate of indebtedness, or other obligation for the payment of money, issued by the State or by any of its political subdivisions. “State” means the State or any of its departments, agencies, public bodies, or other instrumentalities.

This subtitle shall be construed to effectuate its general purpose to make uniform the law of those states that enact it.

Any authorized officer, after filing with the Secretary of State the manual signature of the authorized officer certified under oath, may execute or cause to be executed with a facsimile signature instead of a manual signature: any public security, if the signature of at least 1 authorized officer required or permitted to be placed on the public security is manually subscribed; and any instrument of payment. If a public security is required to be manually signed by a trustee, issuing agent, fiscal agent, registrar, or other agent or custodian, any other signature required or permitted to be placed on the public security may be a facsimile signature. Upon compliance with this subtitle by the authorized officer, the facsimile signature of the authorized officer has the same legal effect as the manual signature of the authorized officer.

When the seal of the State or of any of its political subdivisions is required in the execution of a public security or instrument of payment, the authorized officer may cause the seal to be printed, engraved, stamped, or otherwise placed in facsimile on the public security or instrument of payment. The facsimile seal has the same legal effect as the impression of the seal.

A person may not use, with intent to defraud, on a public security or an instrument of payment: a facsimile signature, or any reproduction of it, of any authorized officer; or a facsimile seal, or any reproduction of it, of the State or of any of its political subdivisions. A person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a felony and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 10 years or both.

This subtitle may be cited as the “Maryland Uniform Facsimile Signature of Public Officials Act”.