(1) Requesting electronic records: The process for requesting electronic public records is the same as for requesting paper public records.

(2) Providing electronic records:

(a) The department has the discretion to determine whether to provide records electronically or in paper form.

(b) When a requestor requests records in an electronic format, the public records officer will endeavor to provide the nonexempt records or portions of such records that are reasonably locatable in an electronic format that is used by the department and is generally commercially available, or in a format that is reasonably translatable from the format in which the department keeps the record.