9-2-406. Director; management of public records.

(a) The director shall properly manage and safely keep all public records in his custody, and administer the state archives. He shall:

(i) Manage the archives of the state;

(ii) Centralize the archives of the state to make them available for reference and scholarship and to insure their proper preservation;

(iii) Inspect, inventory, catalog and arrange retention and transfer schedules on all record files of all state departments and other agencies of state government;

(iv) Maintain and secure all state public records and establish safeguards against unauthorized removal or destruction;

(v) Establish and operate state record centers for preserving, servicing, screening and protecting all state public records which must be preserved temporarily or permanently, but which need not be retained in office space and equipment. Centers established and operated pursuant to this paragraph may include one (1) or more digital repositories for temporary or permanent digital records;

(vi) Gather and disseminate to interested agencies information on all phases of records management and current practices, methods, procedures and devices for efficient and economical management of records;

(vii) Establish and operate a state imaging center in which all public records may be scanned or microfilmed. The center shall scan or microfilm public records approved by the head of the office of origin and by the director. All state departments, agencies and political subdivisions thereof shall consult with the director prior to scanning or microfilming within the departments, agencies or political subdivisions and shall comply with the standards for all scanning and microfilming which shall be established by the state archives. The center may scan or microfilm records which are required to be kept a specified length of time or permanently, or to be destroyed by specific methods or under specific supervision. When records are scanned or microfilmed, the reproductions may be substituted for the original documents and retained in lieu of the original documents and the original documents may be destroyed. One (1) copy shall be made and sent to the director whenever any process is used to reproduce public records scheduled for permanent retention with the intent of disposing of the original or copies of the original;

(viii) Maintain necessary facilities for the review of records approved for destruction and their economical disposition by any method approved by the records committee, and supervise the destruction of public records.