§ 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.