General Statutes Commission Electronic Signatures.

HB 44 clarifies when business contracts in North Carolina can include enforceable provisions for recovering attorneys' fees. It requires these provisions to be signed by hand or with specific electronic signatures (like typing or touchscreen signatures) to be valid, while explicitly excluding consumer contracts, employment agreements, and government contracts. The bill also updates notary application rules to allow electronic submission of signatures while maintaining handwritten requirements for initial applications. It does not change existing rules for consumer contracts, debt instruments, or insurance policies. The law affects businesses drafting contracts and courts enforcing attorneys' fees clauses.