1306.20 State agency provisions.
1306.20 State agency provisions.
(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)(1) 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.
(2) If a state agency in retaining any set of electronic records pursuant to division (E)(1) of this section alters the format of the records, the state agency shall create a certificate of authenticity for each set of records that is altered.
(3) The department of administrative services, in consultation with the state archivist, shall adopt rules in accordance with section 111.15 of the Revised Code that establish the methods for creating certificates of authenticity pursuant to division (E)(2) of this section.
(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)(1) Notwithstanding division (C)(1) or (D) of this section, any state agency that, prior to the effective date of this section, used or permitted the use of electronic records or electronic signatures pursuant to laws enacted, rules adopted, or agency policies adopted before the effective date of this section, may use or permit the use of electronic records or electronic signatures pursuant to those previously enacted laws, adopted rules, or adopted policies for a period of two years after the effective date of this section.
(2) Subject to division (H)(3) of this section, after the two-year period described in division (H)(1) of this section has concluded, all state agencies that use or permit the use of electronic records or electronic signatures before the effective date of this section shall only use or permit the use of electronic records or electronic signatures consistent with rules adopted by the department of administrative services pursuant to division (A) of section 1306.21 of the Revised Code.
(3) After the two-year period described in division (H)(1) of this section has concluded, the department of administrative services may permit a state agency to use electronic records or electronic signatures that do not comply with division (H)(2) of this section, if the state agency files a written request with the department.
(I) 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, or any judicial agency.
Effective Date: 09-14-2000