Sec. 1. 33 MRSA §651, as amended by PL 1965, c. 215, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:

§651.__Records; index

All registries shall keep records as follows:

1.__Indexing.__A register shall make an alphabetical index to the records without charge to the county, in the form known as a ledger index, so that the same surnames may be recorded together in each column of the index or, in lieu of such a ledger index, shall make a suitable card index.__All indexes made under this section must show, in addition to the names of the parties and the nature of the instrument, the date of the instrument, the date of its record and the name of the city, town or unincorporated place where the land conveyed is situated;

2.__Consolidation of records.__The register periodically shall revise and consolidate the index under subsection 1 in such a manner that all deeds recorded since the last revision of the index are indexed so that the same surnames appear together and all names are in alphabetical order. This revised and consolidated index must contain all data as to each and every deed or other instrument;

3.__Conformity or replaced records or volumes.__When for any cause it becomes necessary to revise, renew or replace any index, the new volume must be made in conformity with this section; and

4.__Recordkeeping.__The records in each registry office must be made and kept for public inspection on paper, microfilm or microfiche or by digital image stored on magnetic or optical media.__If the registry keeps its records on paper, the paper must be white, 20-pound, acid-free paper.__Registers shall prepare or have prepared a backup record of each page of every instrument, plan or other document recorded in each registry office on microfilm.__The backup record must be stored in a fireproof area.__When original record books or plans are considered by the register to be in a condition that warrants withdrawal from regular use, the register may provide suitable means for reading records of the withdrawn instruments on microfilm or microfiche or by digital image stored on magnetic or optical media.

Sec. 2. 33 MRSA §651-B is enacted to read:

§651-B.__Documents submitted to registry; form