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(a) Except as otherwise provided in section 112(f), each governmental agency, department and independent instrumentality of the Government of the Virgin Islands shall determine whether, and the extent to which, it will send and accept electronic records and electronic signatures to and from other persons and otherwise create, generate, communicate, store, process, use, and rely upon electronic records and electronic signatures.\n(b) To the extent that a governmental agency uses electronic records and electronic signatures under subsection (a), the governmental agency, department and independent instrumentality of the Government of the Virgin Islands, giving due consideration to security, may specify:\n(1) the manner and format in which the electronic records must be created, generated, sent, communicated, received, and stored and the systems established for those purposes;\n(2) if electronic records must be signed by electronic means, the type of electronic signature required, the manner and format in which the electronic signature must be affixed to the electronic record, and the identity of, or criteria that must be met by, any third party used by a person filing a document to

nner and format in which the electronic signature must be affixed to the electronic record, and the identity of, or criteria that must be met by, any third party used by a person filing a document to facilitate the process;\n(3) control processes and procedures as appropriate to ensure adequate preservation, disposition, integrity, security, confidentiality, and auditability of electronic records; and\n(4) any other required attributes for electronic records which are specified for corresponding nonelectronic records or reasonably necessary under the circumstances.\n(c) Except as otherwise provided in section 112(f), this chapter does not require a governmental agency of this State to use or permit the use of electronic records or electronic signatures.