Montana § 2-16-114 - Facsimile Signatures And Seals

§ 2-16-114. Facsimile Signatures And Seals

Facsimile signatures and seals. (1) As used in this section, the following definitions apply: (a) "Authorized officer" means any official of this state or any of its departments, agencies, public bodies, or other instrumentalities or any of its political subdivisions whose signature to a public security or instrument of payment is required or permitted. (b) "Facsimile signature" means a reproduction by engraving, imprinting, stamping, or other means of the manual signature of an authorized officer. (c) "Instrument of payment" means a check, draft, warrant, or order for the payment, delivery, or transfer of funds. (d) "Public security" means a bond, note, certificate of indebtedness, or other obligation for the payment of money issued by this state or by any of its departments, agencies, public bodies, or other instrumentalities or by any of its political subdivisions. (2) An authorized officer, after filing with the secretary of state or, in the case of officers of any city, town, county, school district, or other political subdivision, with the clerk of the subdivision, the officer's manual signature certified by the officer under oath, may execute or cause to be executed with a facsimile signature in lieu of the manual signature: (a) any public security, provided that at least one signature required or permitted to be placed on the security must be manually subscribed, but manual subscription is not required for interest coupons attached to the security; and (b) any instrument of payment. (3) Upon compliance with this section by the authorized officer, the facsimile signature has the same legal effect as a manual signature. (4) When the seal of this state or any of its departments, agencies, public bodies, or other instrumentalities 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 security or instrument. The facsimile seal has the same legal effect as the impression of the seal. (5) A person who with intent to defraud uses on a public security or an instrument of payment a facsimile signature or any reproduction of it of any authorized officer or any facsimile seal or any reproduction of it of this state or any of its departments, agencies, public bodies, or other instrumentalities or of any of its political subdivisions is guilty of a felony.