(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any requirement that a state agency send material, information, notices, correspondence, or other communication through the United States mail shall be deemed to include the authority for the state agency to send that material, information, notice, correspondence, or other communication by electronic mail upon the request of the recipient, unless impracticable to do so, or unless contrary to state or federal law.
(b) Any state agency may require that direct costs incurred by the agency involving the electronic transmission of information be paid by the requester pursuant to this section and the California Public Records Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 6250) of Division 7 of Title 1).
(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit an agency to act in a manner inconsistent with the standards adopted pursuant to the California Public Records Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 6250) of Division 7 of Title 1) and the Information Practices Act of 1977 (Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 1798) of Title 1.8 of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code).
(Added by Stats. 1997, Ch. 687, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1998.)