§271G-7.5 Electronic copies of documents. (a) No later than July 1, 2011, the public utilities commission shall accept from any person who submits a document to the commission the original or one electronic copy of each application, complaint, pleading, brief, or other document required to be filed with the commission pursuant to this chapter, and the consumer advocate shall accept service of one paper or electronic copy of each application, complaint, pleading, brief, or other document filed with the commission.
(b) The commission shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 to effectuate the purposes of this section. Until the final adoption by the commission of rules governing the electronic filing of documents with the commission, the following requirements shall apply to all documents submitted to the commission pursuant to this section; provided that additional requirements with regard to document format may be established by the commission through written guidelines:
Upon final adoption of rules pursuant to chapter 91, the rules of the commission governing submission or filing of electronic documents shall supersede the provisions of this subsection.
(c) No later than July 1, 2013, the public utilities commission shall accept any application, complaint, pleading, brief, or other document required to be filed with the commission pursuant to this chapter as either a paper document or an electronic document.
(d) If a signature is required on any document submitted electronically pursuant to this section, that requirement shall be satisfied by the inclusion of an electronic signature. Chapter 489E shall apply to all electronic documents submitted pursuant to this section.
(e) Communications, correspondence, and service of orders and other official documents shall be made upon the water carrier, complainant, and any other party at the last recorded mailing or electronic mail address on file with the commission. Proof of service by certified or registered mail or by electronic transmission to the last known mailing or electronic mail address shall constitute a valid service of any communication, correspondence, order, or other official document. [L 2011, c 69, §3; am L 2021, c 72, §11; am L 2023, c 205, §7]