§ 25-59-1. Short title
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Mississippi Archives and Records Management Law of 1981.”
§ 25-59-11. Transfer of responsibility and title from central records storage facility to state records center
The central records storage facility shall become the state records center. The commission of budget and accounting is hereby authorized to transfer the responsibility for the operation of the facility to the department of archives and history. The commission shall also transfer title to the building, equipment and property associated with the facility to the […]
§ 25-59-13. Procedures for transfer of records to the department of archives and history
The transfer of records to the Mississippi Department of Archives and History shall be in accordance with the following: Agencies and appointed or elected officials are hereby authorized and empowered to turn over to the department any records no longer in current official use and the department is authorized, after conducting appropriate archival appraisal, to […]
§ 25-59-15. Records management duties of state agencies and officials
It shall be the duty of each state agency and each appointed or elected state official to: Cooperate with the department in complying with the provisions of this chapter. Establish and maintain an active and continuing program for the economical and efficient management of records. Cause to be made and preserved records containing adequate and […]
§ 25-59-17. Record control schedules for courts; destruction of court records
The Mississippi Supreme Court may, by rule of the court, provide for the development of records control schedules for the various and several courts in the Mississippi judiciary system, provided that the director of the department of archives and history shall be consulted prior to the destruction of any court records. The Mississippi Supreme Court […]
§ 25-59-19. Records to be public property
Except as otherwise provided in Section 25-61-11.2, all records created or received in the performance of public duty and paid for by public funds are deemed to be public property and shall constitute a record of public acts.
§ 25-59-21. Consent of director required for disposal of public records; rules and regulations
No person may destroy, sell, loan or otherwise dispose of any public record without the consent of the director. The department shall adopt reasonable rules and regulations, not inconsistent with this chapter, which shall be binding on all state agencies and appointed and elected state officials, relating to the destruction and disposal of records. Such […]
§ 25-59-23. Penalties for offenses involving records
The theft, or deliberate alienation, alteration or destruction of records by any person or persons in a manner not authorized by an applicable records control schedule, or the unlawful divulging of restricted information under this chapter shall constitute a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not less than five hundred dollars ($500.00) and not greater […]
§ 25-59-25. Limitation on personal liability; closed or restricted records; compliance with requirements as to location for keeping records
No person acting in compliance with the provisions of this chapter shall be held personally liable. If it becomes necessary for archivists or records analysts on the staff of the department to inspect closed or restricted records in order to appraise them for archival significance those archivists or records analysts shall not be held liable […]
§ 25-59-27. Records to be open for public use; exceptions; disposal of closed and restricted records
All records for which title has been transferred to the Mississippi Department of Archives and History shall be open for public use at a reasonable time and place under rules and regulations adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History with the exception of those records specifically prohibited from […]
§ 25-59-29. Reproduction of records and storage of copies; destruction of originals
Any custodian of public records as defined by this chapter is authorized to reproduce any part of the records kept by the office concerned unless otherwise prohibited by law or withheld from reproduction in the public interest. Such copies shall be produced by equipment and systems which shall accurately reproduce and preserve the original record […]
§ 25-59-3. Definitions
For the purposes of this chapter: “Department” shall mean the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. “Public records” shall mean all documents, papers, letters, maps, books, tapes, photographs, films, sound recordings or other materials regardless of physical form or characteristics made or received pursuant to law or ordinance or in connection with the transaction of […]
§ 25-59-31. Transition from existing program of reproduction and destruction of records
In order to provide for an orderly implementation of this chapter, the department shall not disrupt the current microfilming and destruction of public records pursuant to law. Provided, however, that such agencies shall make no further disposition of public records without the approval of the director of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History pursuant […]
§ 25-59-5. Department of archives and history to be archival and records management agency
The archival and records management agency of the state of Mississippi shall be the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.
§ 25-59-7. State records committee; duties as to records control schedules
There is hereby created the state records committee to be composed of the governor, state registrar of vital records, state auditor of public accounts, secretary of state and the director of the department of archives and history, or their designated representatives. It shall be the duty of the committee to review, approve, disapprove, amend or […]
§ 25-59-9. Powers and duties of department of archives and history
The Mississippi Department of Archives and History, with respect to the Mississippi Archives and Records Management Law, shall have the following powers and duties: The department may make and enter into contracts and agreements with other agencies, organizations, associations, corporations and individuals or federal agencies as it may determine are necessary, expedient or incidental to […]