(a) When not inconsistent with other provisions of law, in lieu of filing or recording documents presented in paper format, the Secretary of State may adopt rules and regulations to authorize the electronic filing, including filing by facsimile, of a document required to be filed with the Secretary of State under an act administered by the Secretary of State. The rules and regulations may set forth standards for the acceptance of a signature in a form other than the proper handwriting of the person filing a document that requires the person’s signature. A signature on a document electronically filed or filed by facsimile in accordance with those rules and regulations is prima facie evidence for all purposes that the document actually was signed by the person whose signature appears on the electronically filed document or facsimile.

The filing or recording shall constitute a unique computerized informational record. The record need not be retained in the form in which it is received, if the technology used to retain the record results in a permanent record that does not permit additions, deletions, or changes in the original document and from which an accurate image may be created during the period for which the record is required to be retained.

Terms Used In California Government Code 12168.5

  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Person: includes any person, firm, association, organization, partnership, limited liability company, business trust, corporation, or company. See California Government Code 17
  • Process: includes a writ or summons issued in the course of judicial proceedings of either a civil or criminal nature. See California Government Code 22
  • State: means the State of California, unless applied to the different parts of the United States. See California Government Code 18
  • Subdivision: means a subdivision of the section in which the term occurs unless some other section is expressly mentioned. See California Government Code 10

The filing officer may employ a system of microphotography, optical disk, or reproduction by other techniques that do not permit additions, deletions, or changes to the original document.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 7550.5, the Secretary of State shall prepare and submit to the Legislature at the commencement of the public comment period required under Article 5 (commencing with Section 11346) of Chapter 3.5 of Part 1 a report of, and a copy of, rules and regulations proposed pursuant to subdivision (a) to authorize the electronic filing, including filing by facsimile, of documents required to be filed with the Secretary of State.

(c) All film used in the microphotography process shall comply with minimum standards of quality approved by the United States Bureau of Standards and the American National Standards Institute. A true copy of the microfilm, optical disk, or other storage medium shall be kept in a safe and separate place for security purposes. A reproduction of a document filed, recorded, stored, or retained on microfilm, optical disk, or by other technology pursuant to this section shall be as admissible in a court as the original itself.

The Secretary of State shall obtain the approval of the Fair Political Practices Commission before applying this section to a filing or recording under the Political Reform Act of 1974 (Title 9 (commencing with Section 81000)).

(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 50, Sec. 45. (AB 378) Effective January 1, 2022.)

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