(a) In this section, “paper document” means a document received by the clerk of a circuit court in a form that is not electronic.

(b) In compliance with any standards established by the Administrative Office of the Courts, the clerk of a circuit court:

(1) May receive, index, store, archive, and transmit electronic documents;

(2) May provide for access to, and search and retrieval of, documents and information by electronic means;

(3) Shall, if the clerk of the circuit court accepts electronic documents for recording, continue to accept paper documents and place entries for electronic and paper documents in the same index;

(4) May convert into electronic form:

(i) Paper documents accepted for recording; and

(ii) Information recorded before the clerk of the circuit court began to record electronic documents;

(5) Shall transmit documents in fully verified books to the State Archives for preservation and publication on a website maintained by the State Archives;

(6) May accept by electronic means any fee or tax collected as a condition precedent to recording a document; and

(7) May agree with other State or county officials on procedures or processes to facilitate the electronic satisfaction of prior approvals and conditions precedent to recording documents or the electronic payment of fees or taxes.

(c) The State Department of Assessments and Taxation or a county may:

(1) Accept by electronic means any fee or tax that the Department or county is authorized to collect as a condition precedent to recording a document; and

(2) Agree with the clerk of a circuit court or other State official on procedures or processes to facilitate the electronic satisfaction of prior approvals and conditions precedent to recording documents or the electronic payment of fees or taxes.