(A) Subject to section 1306.11 of the Revised Code, each state agency shall determine if, and the extent to which, it will send and receive electronic records and electronic signatures to and from other persons and otherwise create, generate, communicate, store, process, use, and rely upon electronic records and electronic signatures.

(B)

(1) Subject to division (B)(2) of this section, a state agency may waive a requirement in the Revised Code, other than a requirement in sections 1306.01 to 1306.15 of the Revised Code, that relates to any of the following:

(a) The method of posting or displaying records;

(b) The manner of sending, communicating, or transmitting records;

(c) The manner of formatting records.

(2) A state agency may exercise its authority to waive a requirement under division (B)(1) of this section only if the following apply:

(a) The requirement relates to a matter over which the state agency has jurisdiction;

(b) The waiver is consistent with criteria set forth in rules adopted by the state agency. The criteria, to the extent reasonable under the circumstances, shall contain standards to facilitate the use of electronic commerce by persons under the jurisdiction of the state agency consistent with rules adopted by the department of administrative services pursuant to division (A) of section 1306.21 of the Revised Code.

(C) If a state agency creates, uses, receives, or retains electronic records, both of the following apply:

(1) Any rules adopted by a state agency relating to electronic records shall be consistent with rules adopted by the department of administrative services pursuant to division (A) of section 1306.21 of the Revised Code.

(2) Each state agency shall create, use, receive, and retain electronic records in accordance with section 149.40 of the Revised Code.

(D) If a state agency creates, uses, or receives electronic signatures, the state agency shall create, use, or receive the signatures in accordance with rules adopted by the department of administrative services pursuant to division (A) of section 1306.21 of the Revised Code.

(E) To the extent a state agency retains an electronic record, the state agency may retain a record in a format that is different from the format in which the record was originally created, used, sent, or received only if it can be demonstrated that the alternative format used accurately and completely reflects the record as it was originally created, used, sent, or received.

(F) Whenever any rule of law requires or authorizes the filing of any information, notice, lien, or other document or record with any state agency, a filing made by an electronic record shall have the same force and effect as a filing made on paper in all cases where the state agency has authorized or agreed to such electronic filing and the filing is made in accordance with applicable rules or agreement.

(G) Nothing in sections 1306.01 to 1306.23 of the Revised Code shall be construed to require any state agency to use or permit the use of electronic records and electronic signatures.

(H)

For the purposes of this section, "state agency" means every organized body, office, or agency established by the laws of the state for the exercise of any function of state government, but does not include the general assembly, any legislative agency, the supreme court, the other courts of record in this state, any judicial agency, or any state university identified in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code, or the northeast Ohio medical university.

(I) A state university identified in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code, and the northeast Ohio medical university, that uses or permits the use of electronic records or electronic signatures on September 16, 2014, shall, within six months after September 16, 2014, adopt rules in accordance with section 111.15 of the Revised Code to provide for the use or permission to use electronic records or electronic signatures. A state university identified in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code, and the northeast Ohio medical university, if not using or permitting the use of electronic records or electronic signatures on September 16, 2014, shall adopt rules in accordance with section 111.15 of the Revised Code when it elects to begin using or permitting the use of electronic records or electronic signatures.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 64, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2015.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 488, §1, eff. 9/16/2014.

Effective Date: 09-14-2000 .