2010 California Code
Government Code
Article 2.6. Restoration Of Records Destroyed By Public Calamity

53040.  (a) As used in this section:
   (1) "Acquire" includes acquisition by gift, purchase, lease,
eminent domain, or otherwise.
   (2) "Local public entity" means any public entity other than the
state.
   (3) "Public record plant" means the plant, or any part thereof, or
any record therein, of any person engaged in the business of
searching or publishing public records or insuring or guaranteeing
titles to real property, including copies of public records and
abstracts or memoranda taken from public records, which is owned by
or in the possession of such person or which is used by him in his
business.
   (b) If public records of a local public entity have been lost or
destroyed by conflagration or other public calamity, the local public
entity may acquire the right to reproduce such portion of a public
record plant as is necessary for the purpose of restoring or
replacing the records or their substance.