(a) The County Commission of Jackson County is hereby authorized to enter into contracts for the purchase, lease, or contractual services for providing data processing, computerized services, or other modern or updated electronic based systems for bookkeeping, recording, indexing, and filing of all documents, instruments, and writings that are of record in the office of the commission, judge of probate, tax assessor, and tax collector of the county. The commission may provide for the microfilming of all records, documents, files, papers, or other writings which are required by law to be recorded in the office of the commission, judge of probate, tax assessor, or tax collector and for such projective and reading equipment as may be necessary. Such microfilms or prints therefrom when duly authenticated by the commission, judge of probate, tax assessor, or tax collector, as the case may be, shall have the same force and effect at law as the original record or of copies thereof when made by any other legally authorized means, and may be offered in like manner, and shall be received in evidence in any court where such original record or copy thereof made by other legally authorized means, could have been received in court.
(b) The county commission shall provide for the services, equipment, and supplies necessary to implement subsection (a) by either lease or outright purchase or by contractual services, whichever in the discretion of the county commission is deemed to be in the best interest of the county. The commission of the county shall be authorized to select the type of services to be used and to recommend and approve all contracts thereof. Because of the specialized nature of such services, all contracts therefor may be made without regard to any applicable statewide or local competitive bid law.
(c) All funds necessary and incidental for the implementation of this section shall be paid out of the General Fund of Jackson County.