Records and documents of the commission created in compliance with and in the implementation of this chapter or former chapter 370, former chapter 371, or former chapter 372 shall be retained by the commission as specified in record retention schedules established under the general provisions of chapters 119 and 257. Such records retained by the Department of Environmental Protection on July 1, 1999, shall be transferred to the commission. Further, the commission is authorized to:(1) Destroy, or otherwise dispose of, those records and documents in conformity with the approved retention schedules.
(2) Photograph, microphotograph, or reproduce such records and documents on film, as authorized and directed by the approved retention schedules, whereby each page will be exposed in exact conformity with the original records and documents retained in compliance with the provisions of this section. Photographs or microphotographs in the form of film or print of any records, made in compliance with the provisions of this section, shall have the same force and effect as the originals thereof would have and shall be treated as originals for the purpose of their admissibility in evidence. Duly certified or authenticated reproductions of such photographs or microphotographs shall be admitted in evidence equally with the original photographs or microphotographs. The impression of the seal of the commission on a certificate made pursuant to the provisions hereof and signed by the executive director of the commission shall entitle the same to be received in evidence in all courts and in all proceedings in this state and shall be prima facie evidence of all factual matters set forth in the certificate. A certificate may relate to one or more records, as set forth in the certificate, or in a schedule continued on an attachment to the certificate.
(3) Furnish certified copies of such records for a fee of $1 which shall be deposited in the Marine Resources Conservation Trust Fund.
