Every entity doing business in Oklahoma is now required to file a Business Activity Tax (BAT). The imposed tax comes about as a result of Senate Joint Resolution 61 (SJR 61), which passed during the 2010 legislative session, and will be in effect for tax years 2011 and 2012. The BAT will be filed in lieu of the Franchise Tax return, which had a moratorium placed on it as a result of SJR 61. The BAT form was made available for use back in January 2011. Additional filing and payment information, please visit the Oklahoma Tax Commission web site at www.tax.ok.gov or give us a call at 800.533.7272.

We have just received word that the Embassy of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (aka the Embassy of Libya) in Washington, D.C. has been shut down due to “a dictatorship and a civil war." The embassy officer our representative spoke with had no idea as to how long the embassy would remain closed for. We will be sure to keep you abreast of changes in the embassy's status as we are made aware of them.

Parasec has just received official-looking documents from an entity calling itself “Department of California Collectors” or DCC. The official-looking documents imply that entities are required to complete the paperwork and return it along with a $175 fee for filing a Statement of Information. Please note: the fee for filing a Statement of Information with the California Secretary of State's (CA SOS) office is $20 or $25 - NOT the $175 these scams claim.

Please stay alert because there are many other companies perpetrating similar types of scams. Give us a call if you have ANY questions about documents you may receive, we can help determine if the documents you have received are legitimate or not.

According to a blurb in a recent issue of the California State License Board’s (CSLB) newsletter, recent changes to the California mechanic’s lien law will soon require contractors, subcontractors and suppliers to provide property owners with a Notice of Mechanic’s Lien. In addition, a Proof of Service Affidavit must also be completed, signed and delivered to the property owner. The new requirements will take effect January 1, 2011, and failure to comply with them will render the mechanic’s lien unenforceable.

The changes come about as a result of Assembly Bill 457, which can be read in its entirety here.

As many of you are aware, the California Secretary of State (CA SOS) has been experiencing processing delays due to budget cuts made during the past two years. The Legislature’s Budget Conference Committee recently adopted a measure (Budget Conference Item 0890-001-0228) to help improve processing times at the CA SOS. Secretary of State Debra Bowen is requesting the authority to use business filing fees to make technological upgrades, pay staff overtime and hire temporary staff to help process backlogged filings. Currently, the use of these fees is restricted. Bowen is urging Californians to submit support letters to the Governor’s office in an effort to get the measure preserved in the final budget. In an effort to keep our clients informed of the goings on at the CA SOS, we’ve included links to the letter we received from the CA SOS as well as two sample support letters for your review.

We received notice from the California Secretary of State (CA SOS) that in order to improve their services and reduce expenses, the Business Programs Division, excluding the Uniform Commercial Code Section, is changing the way that they process and provide certified copies of documents.

The CA SOS currently provides a separate cover sheet indicating that the copy is a true and correct copy of the original document of record with their office. The change will eliminate that cover page and now every document certified by the Business Programs Division, with the exception of Uniform Commercial Code Section, will contain a manually placed certification stamp. This procedure will be implemented for document filing and retrieval.

The stamp will appear on the back of the final page of the document in the lower right-hand corner. The stamp will contain the date the document was certified, the signature of the Secretary of State, and the California State Seal. Within the area of the stamp will be the handwritten number of pages being certified and the initials of the deputy certifying the document.

Please take a moment prior to submitting documents to ensure that they are complete and printed only on one side. As part of Parasec’s quality control process we will double check this prior to submitting to the Secretary of State as well to avoid any delays.

Make note that any pending orders that are currently at the Secretary of State for filing or retrieval will be returned to us using this new procedure.

Please contact your Account Executive directly if you have any further questions.

The Long Beach Legal Professionals Association (LBLPA) held its annual Installation of Officers Reception on Tuesday, April 20, 2010 at the Grand Event Center in Long Beach. The event had a surprising turnout for a Tuesday evening, with nearly 20 legal professionals in attendance. Lynn Conner, President of Parasec, was invited to attend and speak at the event, where she gave her “Legal Ethics and Corporate Officer Fraud” seminar.

“I had a wonderful time at the event,” remarked Lynn. “Everyone was very welcoming and it was a pleasure to meet so many new people.”

Erin Sierchio, Executive Assistant to Mrs. Conner, was equally impressed with the folks she met. “Everyone I spoke with was friendly and they made me feel at ease. I can’t wait for them to come up to Sacramento next month for the Legal Secretaries, Incorporated (LSI) annual convention, so we at Parasec can repay the warm welcome.”