Relating to creating a criminal offense for the use of a notary seal or counterfeit seal on a fraudulent document or instrument.

HB 4654 creates a new criminal offense for knowingly using a notary seal or a counterfeit seal (including photocopies or digital images) on a document presumed fraudulent under Texas law and then filing it with a district clerk, county clerk, or municipal clerk. The offense is classified as a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and a $4,000 fine. This bill directly affects individuals who attempt to fraudulently authenticate documents using fake notary seals, targeting a specific method of document fraud. The law applies to documents filed with various court and government clerks as specified in the bill.