From: nCognito@rigel.cyberpass.net (Anonymous)
Date: Fri, 7 Jun 1996 11:49:17 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Electronic Signatures
Message-ID: <199606061726.KAA05826@rigel.infonex.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


Some of the other info in the AP article seems to be coinciding with 
discussions on the list, so heres a less condensed version of the article. 
Are we still within the limits of the copyrights?  God i hope so. :) 


---------- Forwarded message ----------
TAMPA - Flroida now recognizes electronic signatures as legal and 
binding, however, working out the logistics to implement the new law may 
take some doing.

	Andrew Greenberg, an associate at a large Tampa law firm...says, the 
process saves time by using a computer to handle notary duties that used to 
be done by hand. he expects the mechanics of electronic certifaction to become
simple enough for everybody to use.

	"It will be like the telephone - anybody can use it without 
thinking or knowing how it works," he said.

	Ted Barassi, chairman of the United States Council for 
International Business, is among a pool of experts Florida Secretary of 
State Sandra Mortham is expected to call on to set up the state's 
emerging electronic signature certifacation process.

	The law does not specify how an electronic document must be 
signed, but Barassi and others say it probably will mean coding the text 
and typed signature so they cannot be changed by anyone other than the 
writer.

	No on knows yet just how this will be done, but Mortham's own 
expert on the subject, Gene McGee, envisions a central database that 
tracks coded computer signatures for individuals and businesses. 

	With Florida already a hub of Latin American trade, cybernotary 
lawyers could make the state a mecca for international trade, McGee 
predicts.

_______________________________________________________________________

Its kind of scary when the best minds the state could find are so 
obviously without a clue. One of you politically involved folx could dig 
up addresses for some of our mis-representatives and forward them 
discussion from this list, maybe. :)

Adios..