47:3-26. Standards, procedures and rules

12. The Bureau of Archives and History in the Department of Education, with the approval of the State Records Committee established by section six hereof, shall formulate standards, procedures and rules for the photographing, microphotographing, microfilming, data processing and image processing of public records and for the preservation, examination and use of such records, including the indexing and arrangement thereof, for convenient reference purposes.

Whenever any officer, commission, agency or authority of the State or of any political subdivision thereof, including subordinate boards thereof, shall have photographed, microphotographed, microfilmed, data processed or image processed all or any part of the public records, kept or required by law to be received and indexed in such manner as to conform with the standards, procedures and rules, and such photographs, microphotographs, microfilms, or data processed or image processed documents have been placed in conveniently accessible files and provision shall have been made for the preservation, examination and use of the same in conformity with the said standards and procedures, the original records from which the photographs, microphotographs, microfilms, or data processed or image processed documents have been made, or any part thereof, may be destroyed or the records therein otherwise effectively obliterated; provided, the said bureau shall first have given its written consent to such destruction or other disposition.

In the event of any such destruction or other disposition of any public records under the provisions of this section, the photograph, microphotograph, microfilm, or data processed or image processed document or a certified copy of said photograph, microphotograph, microfilm, or data processed or image processed document shall be receivable in evidence in any court or proceeding and shall have the same force and effect as though the original public record had been there produced and proved.

L.1953,c.410,s.12; amended 1994,c.140,s.4.