House Bill 2471 Summary

• Permits electronic wills as valid testamentary instruments alongside traditional paper wills, requiring electronic signature of testator and two witness electronic signatures, all placed while physically present, plus inclusion of government-issued photo identification and execution date.

• Establishes requirements for self-proved electronic wills including notary electronic signature and seal, designation of a qualified custodian to maintain custody, and continuous custodian possession before probate or conversion to certified paper copy.

• Defines qualified custodian qualifications including independence from testator and devisees, secure electronic storage systems that detect alterations, and maintenance of audio/video recordings, photographs, and identification documentation contemporaneous with will execution.

• Specifies custodian duties including providing access only to testator or authorized persons (or after death to personal representative and interested parties), maintaining records for 100 years after testator's death or five years after probate completion, and transferring custody to successor custodians with affidavits certifying no alterations.

• Requires creation of certified paper originals of electronic wills with affidavits attesting to chain of custody, unaltered status, and authenticity, allowing electronic wills to be probated and used for succession to real property under existing probate procedures.