The secretary of state may appoint authenticating officers and delegate to such officers power to sign for the secretary of state any document which, to have legal effect, requires the secretary of state’s signature and which is of a class which the secretary of state has authorized for signature by his authenticating officers in a writing on file in his office. Authenticating officers shall sign in the following manner: “_______________, Authenticating Officer for the Secretary of State _____”

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The secretary of state may also delegate to his authenticating officers power to use the secretary of state’s facsimile signature for signing any document which, to have legal effect, requires the secretary of state’s signature and is of a class with respect to which the secretary of state has authorized use of his facsimile signature by a writing filed in his office. As used in this section, “facsimile signature” includes, but is not limited to, the reproduction of any authorized signature by a copper plate, a rubber stamp, or by a photographic, photostatic, or mechanical device.

The secretary of state shall effect such appointment and delegation by placing on file in his office in a single document the names of all persons appointed as authenticating officers and each such officer’s signature, a list of the classes of documents each such authenticating officer is authorized to sign for the secretary of state, a copy of the secretary of state’s facsimile signature, and a list of the classes of documents which each authenticating officer may sign for the secretary of state by affixing the secretary of state’s facsimile signature. The secretary of state may revoke such appointment or delegation of powers by placing on file in his office a new single document which expressly revokes the authenticating officers and the powers delegated to them. The secretary of state shall record and index documents filed by him pursuant to this section, and such documents shall be open for public inspection.

The authorized signature of an authenticating officer or an authorized facsimile signature of the secretary of state shall have the same legal effect and validity as the genuine manual signature of the secretary of state.