§271-9.5 Electronic copies of documents. (a) No later than July 1, 2011, the public utilities commission shall accept from any person who submits a document to the commission the original and one electronic copy of each application, complaint, pleading, brief, or other document required to be filed with the commission pursuant to this chapter and the consumer advocate shall accept service of one paper copy and one electronic copy of each application, complaint, pleading, brief, or other document filed with the commission.

(b) The commission shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 to effectuate the purposes of this section. Until the final adoption by the commission of rules governing the electronic filing of documents with the commission, the following requirements shall apply to all documents submitted to the commission pursuant to this section; provided that additional requirements with regard to document format may be established by the commission through written guidelines:

(1) Unless otherwise required by this chapter or the rules or guidelines of the commission, each person who submits or files an application, complaint, pleading, brief, or other document shall submit to or file with the commission an original and one electronic copy of each document and shall serve one paper copy and one electronic copy of each document on the consumer advocate;

(2) All paper documents submitted to or filed with the commission shall be printed on one side of the page only and, if practicable, in portrait orientation;

(3) Original paper documents submitted to or filed with the commission shall not be stapled but shall be clipped together or placed in a clearly marked three-ring binder, as appropriate;

(4) All paper documents filed or submitted to the commission shall include appropriately labeled separator pages in addition to tabbed dividers, as applicable;

(5) All confidential documents filed under confidential seal shall be clearly designated in accordance with the requirements of any applicable protective order, and the sealed envelope in which the confidential documents are enclosed shall clearly indicate the appropriate docket number and subject;

(6) Electronic documents shall be submitted on a clearly marked compact disk and shall be in portable document format saved in separate files corresponding to the original paper document submission; provided that electronic documents submitted under confidential seal shall be submitted on a separate compact disk, clearly marked as confidential and indicating the appropriate docket number and subject; and

(7) Electronic documents shall be named using the filing party's name, docket number, date of filing, and name of document as part of the document title.

Upon final adoption of rules pursuant to chapter 91, the rules of the commission governing submission or filing of electronic documents shall supersede the provisions of this subsection.

(c) No later than July 1, 2013, the public utilities commission shall accept any application, complaint, pleading, brief, or other document required to be filed with the commission pursuant to this chapter as either a paper document or an electronic document.

(d) If a signature is required on any document submitted electronically pursuant to this section, that requirement shall be satisfied by the inclusion of an electronic signature. Chapter 489E shall apply to all electronic documents submitted pursuant to this section. [L 2011, c 69, §2]