The Florida Senate

15.16  Reproduction of records; admissibility in evidence; electronic receipt and transmission of records; certification; acknowledgment.--

(1)  The Department of State may cause to be made copies of any records maintained by it by miniature photographic microfilming or microphotographic processes or any other photographic, mechanical, or other process heretofore or hereafter devised, including electronic data processing.

(2)  Photographs, nonerasable optical images, or microphotographs in the form of film, facsimiles, or prints of any records made in compliance with the provisions of this section shall have the same force and effect as the originals thereof and shall be treated as originals for the purpose of their admissibility in evidence. Duly certified or authenticated reproductions of such photographs, nonerasable optical images, or microphotographs shall be admitted in evidence equally with the original photographs, nonerasable optical images, or microphotographs.

(3)  The Department of State may cause to be received electronically any records that are required to be filed with it pursuant to chapter 607, chapter 608, chapter 617, chapter 620, chapter 621, chapter 679, chapter 713, or chapter 865, through facsimile or other electronic transfers, for the purpose of filing such records. The originals of all such electronically transmitted records must be executed in the manner provided by law and must contain in the lower left-hand corner of the first page the name, address, and telephone number of the preparer of the original and, if prepared by an attorney licensed in this state, the preparer's Florida Bar membership number. The receipt of such electronic transfer constitutes delivery to the department as required by law.

(4)  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the department may certify or acknowledge and electronically transmit any record maintained by it. The certification must be evidenced by a certification code on each page transmitted which must include the charter or filing number of the document, date of transmission, and page number of the total number of pages transmitted, and a sequential certification number assigned by the department which will identify the transmission and be available for verification of any transmitted acknowledgment or certified document.

(5)  If not otherwise provided by law, the Department of State shall determine, by rule, the appropriate format for, number of copies of, manner of execution of, method of electronic transmission of, and amount of and method of payment of fees for any document placed under its jurisdiction for filing or recordation.

History.--s. 1, ch. 67-15; ss. 10, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 1, ch. 89-341; s. 1, ch. 93-281.