More credible to believe is that the statement should be construed to mean the state put document images on electronic filing and now instead of having to go find the actual paper document and make a copy they can merely access the imaged version to print an official copy. Since the issue the official raised was in regards to speed of getting the copies out, it is not as likely that the comment meant the paper documents were destroyed, they’re just not dug out each time someone requests a copy.
Ok - fair enough -
...if they just went “paperless” in 2001 - then why was that fact used (in effect) as an “excuse” in response to CNN as a “reason” for inability to provide at least an “electronic” (scanned) image of the “original” long-form document??