The History of Electronic Signature Laws On June 30, 2000
President Clinton signed the "Electronic Signatures in Global
and National Commerce Act" (ESIGN) using his electronic
signature ID, and thereby established the validity of electronic
signatures for interstate and international commerce. In the
four years prior to this Act’s passage a dozen states had passed
similar laws and guidance for state specific business purposes,
and in the five years since the Act’s passing every other state
has passed similar laws and legislation. What does it all mean,
and in the end how can it benefit businesses, individuals and
the nation or world as a whole? The best way to answer a
question like this is to take a look at the origins of the law,
and understand the reasoning behind its passage and the passage
of federal and state laws. The Birth of Electronic Signatures
Over 100 years ago, people were using Morse code and the
telegraph to electronically accept contracts. An early
validation of electronic signatures came fro