The bill amends Chapter 38-3 of the General Laws, titled "Public Records Administration," to enhance the management and retention of public records. It introduces new definitions for terms such as "Administrator," "Electronic record," "Record copy," "Records officer," "Record series," "Retention," "State archives," and "State archivist," which clarify the roles and responsibilities of individuals and entities involved in public records management.

The bill establishes a structured framework for the public records administration program, detailing the duties of the public records administrator, including the establishment and administration of a public records management program and a local government records program. It outlines the creation of records control schedules and procedures for the retention and transfer of public records to the state archives after twenty years.

Additionally, the bill requires each agency to designate a records officer responsible for compliance with the new provisions and mandates the submission of a certification of records destruction for approval once records have met their minimum retention period. It emphasizes that reproductions of public records can serve as official records under certain conditions and establishes a public research room for the study of records.

The bill also requires the secretary to prepare an annual report summarizing compliance with the provisions of this chapter, which will be submitted to the General Assembly and published electronically. Furthermore, it empowers the administrator to bring actions in superior court for restraining orders and injunctive relief to address violations of any provision of this chapter. Overall, the bill aims to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of public records management while ensuring compliance with legal standards.

Statutes affected:
5451: 38-3-5