§ 38-3-5. Duties of program. It shall be the duty and responsibility of the public records administration program to:

(1) Establish and administer a public records management program, including the operation of a record center or centers, and appoint a director who will apply efficient and economical management methods relating to the creation, utilization, maintenance, retention, preservation, and disposal of records.

(2) Analyze, develop, establish, and coordinate standards, procedures, and techniques of record making and record keeping.

(3) Insure the maintenance and security of records which are deemed appropriate for preservation.

(4) Institute and maintain a training and information program in all phases of records management to bring to the attention of all agencies approved and current practices, methods, procedures, and devices for the efficient and economical management of records.

(5) Make available a centralized program of microfilming for the benefit of all agencies.

(6) Make continuous surveys of record keeping operations.

(7) Recommend improvements in current records management practices, including the use of space, equipment, supplies, and personnel in creating, maintaining, and servicing records.

(8)(i) Establish and maintain a program, in cooperation with each agency, for the selection and protection of public records considered essential to the operation of government and to the protection of the rights and privileges of citizens.

(ii) Make or to have made duplicates of essential records, or to designate existing record copies as essential records to be protected in the place and manner of safekeeping as prescribed by the program.

(iii) The duplicate of any record made pursuant to this chapter shall have the same force and effect for all purposes as the original record. A transcript, exemplification, or certified copy of the duplicate shall be deemed, for all purposes, to be the original record.

History of Section. (P.L. 1981, ch. 353, § 6; P.L. 1990, ch. 492, § 10.)