Section 45-52-160.01 - Photographing, etc., of certain public records; use of authenticated reproductions(a) The County Commissioners of Morgan County may require the photographing or microphotographing, on plate or film, of any record, document, plat, court file, book, map, paper, or writing made, acquired, or received as required by law by any official of Morgan County except those records that the board of registrars is required by law to make and keep, which may be photographed or microfilmed only if this procedure is approved unanimously by the board of registrars. The photographs, microfilms, or prints made therefrom, when duly authenticated by the custodian thereof, shall have the same force and effect at law as the original record, or of a record made by any other legally authorized means, and may be offered in like manner and shall be received in evidence in any court where the original record, or record made by other legally authorized means, could have been so introduced and received. In like manner, reproductions made from the records by photographic or like process when otherwise in compliance with applicable statutes, rules, and regulations, shall be received and treated in any court of this state as fully as would a transcription or reproduction of the records made by any other means or process.(b) The court or board may charge to any office, court, board, institution, department, or agency of the county the cost of photographing or microphotographing of public records belonging to that office, court, board, institution, department, or agency, by the charging of the cost of the work to that office, court, board, institution, department, or agency's appropriation from the county budget.(c) The court or board may from time to time appropriate amounts out of the general fund of the county sufficient to pay the cost of photographing or microphotographing the public records belonging to the county, and may from time to time appropriate amounts sufficient to purchase necessary photo-graphic or microphotographic equipment, materials, and supplies therefor.(d) The custodian of public records may photograph or microphotograph all public records existing as of July 18, 1979, and after the records have been processed and checked for clarity, all presently existing bound volumes may be offered to the Department of Archives and History for permanent storage. The volumes as are refused by the department may be destroyed unless otherwise prohibited by law.Ala. Code § 45-52-160.01 (1975)
Act 79-384, p. 605, §§ 1-4.