Illinois enacts E-Records Act.

• Position: LEG/REG - Brief article

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn has signed a new state Electronic Records Act into law. This new law gives e-records "the same force and effect" as records created in other formats, subjects them to the state's Freedom of Information law, and encourages state agencies to create and transmit e-records as long as doing so does not "jeopardize the efficient operation of state government."

Most significantly, the law creates an Electronic Records Advisory Board that includes the Illinois state treasurer; secretary of state; governor: attorney general; state comptroller; directors of central management services, state archives, bureau of communication and computer services, and transportation; and the president of the University of Illinois.

According to the law, this board must produce a report by July 1, 2011, that recommends policies, guidelines, and best practices related to the following issues:

* Long-term maintenance of e-records

* Management of electronic files in a networked environment

* Recordkeeping...