Public records; forms and methods; electronic signatures

A. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, any public record maintained by the department may be kept in any written, photographic, microfilm, or other similar form or method, or may be kept by any magnetic, electronic, optical, or similar form of data compilation which is approved for such use in a rule promulgated by the department. No such magnetic, electronic, optical, or similar form of data compilation shall be approved unless it provides reasonable safeguards against erasure or alteration. B. The department may, at its discretion, cause any public record maintained by it or any part thereof to be microfilmed, or otherwise reproduced, in order to accomplish efficient storage and preservation of such records. C. A certified copy of a public record maintained by the department shall be deemed to be an original for all purposes and shall be admissible in evidence in all courts or administrative agencies as if it were the original. D. Subject to such guidelines and limitations as may be promulgated by the department, electronic signatures and the use of electronic documents are hereby authorized. In accordance with such regulations promulgated by the department, an electronic document shall be considered to be "in writing" for the purpose of this Subtitle and may be used to satisfy any requirement otherwise required by this Subtitle. An electronic document is any document in electronic, magnetic, optical or other format, except an audio recording, used to create, transfer, approve, or store the document for subsequent retrieval. E. The department shall promulgate rules to regulate the use of electronic signatures and electronic documents. Such rules may include limitations upon the use of electronic documents and which documents may be signed electronically.