Massachusetts General Laws
Chapter 66 - Public Records
Section 8a - Destruction of Certain Records by City and Town Clerks if Micro-Photographed

Section 8A. Any provision of general or special law to the contrary notwithstanding, the clerk of any city or town, with the written approval of the supervisor of records, may destroy any index of instruments made by any clerk of such city or town under the provision of law now embodied in section fifteen of chapter forty-one or any original record made by any such clerk under any of the provisions of law now embodied in section eleven of chapter two hundred and nine, section three of chapter two hundred and fifty-five, or any similar statute; provided, that such index or record, as the case may be, has been, or shall have been, micro-photographed, and that twenty years has, or shall have, expired after the making of such index or record. The micro-photograph of any index or record so destroyed shall have the same force and effect as the original index or record from which such micro-photograph was made.

Structure Massachusetts General Laws

Massachusetts General Laws

Part I - Administration of the Government

Title X - Public Records

Chapter 66 - Public Records

Section 1 - Supervision of Public Records; Powers and Duties

Section 1a - Creation of Educational Materials; Preparation of Forms and Reference Materials; Operation of Website; Development of Best Practices

Section 3 - ''record'' Defined; Quality of Paper and Film; Microfilm Records

Section 3a - Recommendations for Employment Submitted in Support of Candidates Hired by the Commonwealth; Use of Recommendation by Hiring Authority

Section 4 - Regulation of Recording Materials and Devices; Mandamus

Section 5 - Municipal Records; Copies

Section 5a - Records of Meetings of Boards and Commissions; Contents

Section 6 - Records of Public Proceedings; Preparation; Custody

Section 6a - Records Access Officers; Designation; Powers and Duties

Section 7 - Custody of Old and Other Records

Section 8 - Preservation and Destruction of Records, Books and Papers

Section 8a - Destruction of Certain Records by City and Town Clerks if Micro-Photographed

Section 8b - Destruction or Disposal of Records in Accordance With Chapter 93i

Section 9 - Preservation and Copying of Worn, etc., Records

Section 10 - Inspection and Copies of Public Records; Requests; Written Responses; Extension of Time; Fees

Section 10a - Petition for Determination of Violation of Sec. 10; Enforcement by Attorney General; Civil Actions

Section 10b - Records Divulging Name, Home or Email Address and Phone Number; Persons Who Own, Possess or Have License to Carry Firearms; Government Personnel

Section 11 - Fireproof Vaults and Safes

Section 12 - Arrangement of Records

Section 13 - Custodian to Demand Records; Compelling Compliance

Section 14 - Surrender of Records by Retiring Officer

Section 15 - Penalties

Section 16 - Surrender of Church Records; Jurisdiction of Superior Court

Section 17 - Municipality in Which Records to Be Kept; Contracts for Records Storage; Penalty

Section 17a - Public Assistance Records; Public Inspection; Destruction

Section 17c - Failure to Maintain Public Records of Meetings; Orders to Maintain

Section 17d - Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program Data Base; Division Records; Site-Specific Rare Species Information

Section 17e - Local Filing Offices; Former Article 9 Uniform Commercial Code Records; Revised Article 9 Records

Section 18 - Application of Chapter

Section 19 - Electronic Record Keeping Systems and Databases; Capability Requirements; Storage Contracts; Certain Records to Be Available on Searchable Website

Section 20 - Payroll, Financial and Other Data in Centralized State Accounting and Payroll Systems

Section 21 - Documents Related to Pensions of Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Employees