After a specified period of time, official records may be disposed of in a manner that is consistent with, and systematically carried out in accordance with, prescribed records management guidelines and procedures. Duplicate files, duplicate copies, library materials, and stocks of obsolete forms or pamphlets originally intended for distribution are not considered to be official records or record copies. Duplicates or nonrecord convenience copies should be destroyed when they cease to be useful and should never be kept longer than the official record copy. The System Administration Records Retention Schedule provides a list of official records for each department and prescribes the periods of authorized retention. The System Administration Records Retention Schedule follows the retention periods in the Texas State Records Retention Schedule with a few exceptions.
All records are to be kept for the minimum periods listed in the Records Retention Schedule.
Notwithstanding such minimum retention periods, all records must be maintained until all required audits are completed and should be retained beyond the listed retention periods when there is a probability of litigation either involving records or requiring their use. Documents may be maintained for the prescribed minimum retention periods in microform if the microform reproduction is accomplished pursuant to a procedure that complies with State law. At System Administration, the microfilming of records is limited to long-term records. Short-term records, maintained less than fifteen years, are not to be filmed unless they are vital records which need to be protected by duplication. In all cases, the Records Retention Schedule will be followed to determine the need for microfilm.