§ 35. Maintenance of records. 1. The department is authorized and empowered to use optical disc technology to record and maintain public records, papers, documents or matters required by law to be recorded. Such records shall be capable of being copied, photographed, or microphotographed by a process which accurately reproduces the original thereof in all details.

2. The copies thereof shall be deemed to be an original record for all purposes, including introduction in evidence in all courts or administrative agencies. A transcript, exemplification or certified copy thereof shall, for all purposes recited herein, be deemed to be a transcript, exemplification, or certified copy of the original.

3. The department shall have the power to dispose of or destroy its records, subject only to receiving the consent of the commissioner of education as may be required by article fifty-seven of the arts and cultural affairs law.