House Bill No. [insert bill number] introduces new requirements for the retention of electronic communications in the e-mail accounts of public employees. Specifically, it mandates that public agencies retain all electronic communications associated with an employee's e-mail account for a minimum of one year following the employee's last date of employment. This requirement is aimed at ensuring proper management and retention of public records, as outlined in the amended sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA). The bill also establishes that the retention and disposition subcommittee will designate this retention period and may categorize these electronic communications as records that do not require a disposal request.

Additionally, the bill amends several sections of the MCA to enhance the management of public records across various government branches, including local governments and the judicial branch. It creates a local government records destruction subcommittee to handle disposal requests for records not listed on approved retention schedules. The amendments clarify the responsibilities of public officers in managing records and ensure that electronic communications are retained in accordance with the new guidelines. Overall, the bill aims to improve transparency and accountability in public record-keeping practices.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 2-6-1012, 2-6-1109, 2-6-1202, 7-5-2132, 7-5-4124, 20-1-212, 71-3-705, 71-3-810
HB0722_1(1): 2-6-1012, 2-6-1109, 2-6-1202, 7-5-2132, 7-5-4124, 20-1-212, 71-3-705, 71-3-810
HB0722_1(2): 2-6-1012, 2-6-1109, 2-6-1202, 7-5-2132, 7-5-4124, 20-1-212, 71-3-705, 71-3-810
HB0722_1(3): 2-6-1012, 2-6-1109, 2-6-1202, 7-5-2132, 7-5-4124, 20-1-212, 71-3-705, 71-3-810
HB0722_1(4): 2-6-1012, 2-6-1109, 2-6-1202, 7-5-2132, 7-5-4124, 20-1-212, 71-3-705, 71-3-810
HB0722_1: 2-6-1012, 2-6-1109, 2-6-1202, 7-5-2132, 7-5-4124, 20-1-212, 71-3-705, 71-3-810