Functional Responsibility:
The Alberta Heritage Act (S.A. Chapter 7, 1970) repealed The Provincial Archives Act. The disposition of public documents was addressed at that time in The Public Document Act (S.A. Chapter 90, 1970). This legislation clearly defined the Public Documents Committee and its function. The Alberta Heritage Act, 1973 (S.A. Chapter 5, 1973) repealed both The Public Documents Act and The Alberta Heritage Act and enabled the establishment again of the Public Records Committee.
The Department of Government Services Act (S.A. Chapter 11, 1975) amended the Alberta Heritage Act, 1973 by striking out Part two, which addressed records management. The Department of Government Services Act once again established The Public Records Committee. The Public Records Committee was created to provide for the disposition of public records and functioned to establish disposition schedules for and authorize the destruction of public records.
The Department of Public Works, Supply and Services Act (S. A. Chapter D-25.5, 1983) repealed the Department of Government Services Act. The Department of Public Works, Supply and Services Act enabled the Lieutenant Governor in Council to make regulations governing the handling, control, organization, retention, maintenance, preservation, disposition, alienation and destruction of public records. The Public Records Regulation (A. R. 373/83) created under the Department of Public Works, Supply and Services Act, established the Public Records Committee. Under the Public Records Regulation the Public Records Committee could establish disposition schedules, procedures and directives governing: the handling, control, organization, retention, maintenance, preservation, disposition, alienation, and destruction of public records; access to public records; and the destruction of public records that are no longer required for any purpose. The Records Management Regulation (A.R. 57/95) under the Government Organization Act (S.A. Chapter G-8.5, 1994) repealed the Public Records Regulation and established the Alberta Records Management Committee.
The Alberta Records Management Committee provided many of the same functions as the Public Records Committee but did not establish disposition schedules. The Records Management Regulation gave the Minister named in the regulation the responsibility for establishing a records management program. The Alberta Records Management Committee could evaluate the implementation of the records management program in each department and provide advice to the Minister relating to the policies, standards and procedures concerning the records management program. The new Committee continued to approve retention and disposition schedules.

Predecessor and Successor Bodies:
The function of providing for the disposition of public records began with the proclamation of the Preservation of Public Documents Act (S.A. Chapter 31, 1925). The Lieutenant Governor in Council was responsible for ordering the final disposition of public records. The Provincial Archives Act (S A. Chapter 73, 1966) repealed the Preservation of Public Documents Act. The Provincial Archives Act addressed the disposition of public documents the preservation or destruction of which was sanctioned by the Public Documents Committee and approved by the Lieutenant Governor in Council.

Administrative Relationships:
The Public Records Committee began reporting to the Department of Government Services in 1975. In 1983 the Public Records Committee began reporting to the Department of Public Works, Supply and Services. In 1999, the Alberta Records Management Committee was transferred to the jurisdiction of Alberta Infrastructure (A.R. 127/99). The responsibility for the Committee was transferred to the jurisdiction of Alberta Government Services in 2001 (A. R. 44/2001).

Administrative Structure:
At its inception the Public Documents Committee consisted of: the Provincial Archivist as chairman; a representative of the Attorney General; a representative of the Provincial Auditor; the Provincial Librarian or a representative; and any other person appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council.
By 1975, the Public Records Committee consisted of: chairman who was the Deputy Minister of Alberta Government Services, or a person designated by the Minister to act in the place of the Deputy Minister; a vice-chairman who was a representative of the Attorney General; a secretary who was the Provincial Archivist of Alberta; a representative of the Provincial Auditor; and any other members appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council.
The Alberta Records Management Committee consists of members that were appointed by the Minister in accordance with the Records Management Regulation.