Sec. 188.25. Identification, preservation, and public access to archival records of the Executive Chamber

(a) For the purposes of this section, executive chamber records are defined as all books, papers, microforms, computer-readable tapes, discs or other media, maps, photographs, film, video and sound recordings, or other documentary materials, regardless of physical form or characteristics, made or received by the Governor and his or her Executive Chamber staff, or made by the Governor and Executive Chamber staff and transmitted by them to the office of the head or governing body of any agency, in connection with the transaction of public business, and retained by the Governor and his or her staff or an agency head or governing body or its legitimate successor as evidence of the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations, or other activities, or because of the information contained therein. Library or museum material made or acquired and preserved solely for reference or exhibition purposes, extra copies of documents preserved only for convenience of reference, and stocks of publications and of blank forms shall not be deemed to constitute records.

(b) Consistent with any policies established by the Governor or his or her designee, the director shall review proposed records retention and disposition schedules or other plans and procedures for the disposition of Executive Chamber records in order to identify and ensure the continued preservation of those Executive Chamber records which warrant archival retention and administration. In addition, the director shall advise and assist the Governor or his or her designee in the operation of records management programs so that archival records may be readily identified and protected.

(c) Executive Chamber records may be transferred to the State records center facility, where access to such Executive Chamber records shall remain under the control of the Governor or former Governor who transferred the records, or a designee. There shall be no charge for storage in a records center facility of Executive Chamber records that are identified as archival and are scheduled for later transfer to the State Archives.

(d) Executive Chamber records which are identified as archival should ultimately be transferred to the State Archives to be preserved and made available for research.