§42. Public records; forms and methods; electronic signatures and filings; timely filing of papers

            A. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, any public record maintained by the commissioner of insurance 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 commissioner. 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 commissioner may, at his discretion, cause any public record maintained by him 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 commissioner 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 commissioner, electronic signatures are hereby authorized.

            E. The commissioner shall promulgate rules to regulate the use of electronic signatures. Such rules may include limitations upon which documents may be signed electronically.

            F. The commissioner may permit or require the electronic filing of any rate, form, application for any license or registration, or any other filings, along with any accompanying supplementary rate information or supporting information.

            G. If the commissioner permits or requires electronic filings pursuant to Subsection F of this Section, the commissioner shall arrange for payment of filing fees by electronic funds transfer.

            H. The time for acting on filings made electronically shall be the same as the time for acting on filings made in writing. Filings made electronically shall be considered received by the commissioner when received in the electronic data processing system used by the commissioner to review filings, unless received on a weekend or legal holiday, in which case filings are deemed received on the next business day. Communications from the commissioner to persons making filings electronically shall be considered received by that person when the communication is sent to the person making the filing.

            I. Grounds for approval, disapproval, or withdrawal of approval for filings made electronically shall be the same grounds for these actions as to filings made in writing, except that the commissioner may waive filing requirements relating to filings made in writing, such as requirements for original signatures or the number of copies, and the commissioner may disapprove or withdraw approval of a filing if it does not comply with the commissioner's requirements for electronic filings.

            J. Filings made electronically shall be subject to the law of this state relating to inspection of public records pursuant to the Public Records Act, Title 44 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, or any other applicable law.

            K. The commissioner may promulgate rules and regulations which the commissioner deems necessary for the administration of electronic filings.

            L. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the filing of papers, including but not limited to applications, forms, reports, returns, statements, and filings of any kind with the commissioner subject to the exceptions and provisions in Subsections A through K of this Section shall not be subject to the provisions of R.S. 1:60 but shall be subject to other relevant provisions of law or rules or regulations of the commissioner.

            Acts 1999, No. 1304, §1, eff. July 12, 1999; Acts 2001, No. 1032, §8; Redesignated from R.S. 22:2.1 by Acts 2008, No. 415, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2009; Acts 2018, No. 18, §1.