CHAPTER 9

An Act concerning the retention of workers' compensation records and amending P.L.1953, c.94.

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. Section 1 of P.L.1953, c.94 (C.34:15-121) is amended to read as follows:

C.34:15-121 Workers' compensation formal cases; records, destruction.

    1. Any records of, or pertaining to, workers' compensation formal cases, wherein original claim petitions have been on file for 45 or more years, may be destroyed by the Division of Workers' Compensation in the State Department of Labor; provided, the Commissioner of Labor shall approve such destruction.

    2. Section 5 of P.L.1953, c.94 (C.34:15-125) is amended to read as follows:

C.34:15-125 Records on microfilm or other media, destruction.

    5. Any records of, or pertaining to, workers' compensation formal cases, which have not been on file for 45 or more years but which have been microfilmed or retained in full in other media, provided such microfilms or information retained in other media shall be preserved in full and arranged for convenient examination, may be destroyed by the Division of Workers' Compensation; provided, the Commissioner of Labor shall approve such destruction.

    3. Section 6 of P.L.1953, c.94 (C.34:15-126) is amended to read as follows:

C.34:15-126 Force, effect of microfilm or other media.

    6. Any microfilm made or information retained in other media by the Division of Workers' Compensation pursuant to law, or a certified copy of such microfilm or information retained in other media, shall have the same force and effect as the original in any court or public proceeding and shall be evidential in like manner and to the same effect as though the original record had been there produced and proved.

    4. This act shall take effect immediately.

    Approved January 26, 1997.