The Uniform Electronic Transactions Act is a law that was enacted in 1999 to provide a legal framework for the use of electronic records and signatures in commerce. The Act establishes the legal equivalence of electronic records and signatures to paper documents and handwritten signatures. It also provides guidelines for the use of electronic records
From Wikipedia
The Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA) is one of the several United States Uniform Acts proposed by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (NCCUSL). Forty-nine states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands have adopted the UETA. Its purpose is to harmonize state laws concerning retention of paper records and the validity of electronic signatures.