(1) The Supreme Court through the Administrative Office of Courts shall conduct a study to determine the progress of the implementation of Chapter 458, Laws of 1994 and Chapter 521, Laws of 1994. In conducting such study, the Administrative Office of Courts shall examine the various court systems and county offices in the state as defined in Section 9-1-51 to determine the types of computer software and hardware being used by courts and county offices which have elected to store records electronically. The Administrative Office of Courts, after consultation with designees of the Mississippi Association of Supervisors, the Mississippi Circuit Clerks’ Association, the Mississippi Association of Chancery Clerks, the Mississippi Municipal Association, The Mississippi Bar, the Department of Archives and History and such other interested entities as the Administrative Office of Courts may identify, shall promulgate standards, rules and regulations for computer and/or electronic filing and storage of all court records and court-related records maintained throughout the state in courts and in county offices. The standards, rules and regulations required by this subsection shall be completed by the Administrative Office of Courts and adopted by the Supreme Court on or before July 1, 1998.

(2) Concurrently with the study mandated in subsection (1) of this section, the Administrative Office of Courts shall consult with designees of the Mississippi Association of Supervisors, the Mississippi Circuit Clerks’ Association, the Mississippi Association of Chancery Clerks, the Assessors/Collectors Association, the Mississippi Municipal Association, the Mississippi State Tax Commission, The Mississippi Bar, the Department of Archives and History and such other interested entities as the Administrative Office of Courts may identify for the purpose of jointly considering and jointly proposing to the Legislature recommendations relating to the electronic filing and storage of all noncourt records maintained throughout the state in county offices as defined in Section 9-1-51. The Administrative Office of Courts shall report to the Legislature not later than January 1, 1998, a summary report of the types of computer software and hardware being used by courts and county offices which have elected to store records electronically, the rules promulgated pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, as well as the recommendations of the group as to the standards, rules and regulations for computer and/or electronic filing and storage of all noncourt records maintained throughout the state in county offices.

(3) All courts and county offices electing to store court records and court-related records electronically shall comply with the standards, rules and regulations promulgated by the Administrative Office of Courts and adopted by the Mississippi Supreme Court. Any courts or county offices which currently store court records and court-related records electronically or which elect to store such records electronically before January 1, 1998, must bring such systems into compliance with the standards, rules and regulations no later than January 1, 1999.

The Administrative Office of Courts shall assist any court or county office currently storing court records or court-related records electronically or electing to store such records before July 1, 1999, in order to assure compliance with the standards, rules and regulations to be promulgated.