Digital Signature Act of 1999

Digital Signature Act of 1999 - Directs a Federal agency, to the extent that it recognizes a written signature as authenticating a document, to recognize a digital signature as authenticating an equivalent electronically formatted document. Requires the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop digital signature infrastructure guidelines and standards for use by Federal agencies to enable those agencies to utilize digital signatures in a manner that is: (1) sufficiently secure to meet the needs of those agencies and the public; and (2) interoperable to the maximum extent possible. Requires the Director to: (1) ensure the development of such guidelines and standards in coordination with the efforts of the National Policy Panel for Digital Signatures (established by this Act); and (2) make available to such agencies and the public an evaluation of the conformance of commercially available digital signature infrastructure products and other such products used by those agencies with such guidelines and standards. Directs the Director to: (1) establish minimum technical criteria for use of electronic certification and management systems by Federal agencies; (2) establish a program for evaluating conformance of electronic certification and management systems developed for use by Federal agencies or available for such use with such criteria; and (3) maintain and make available to Federal agencies a list of those systems conforming to such criteria. Directs the Panel to develop: (1) model practices and procedures for certification authorities for ensuring the accuracy, reliability, and security of operations associated with issuing and managing digital certificates; (2) standards for ensuring consistency among jurisdictions that license such authorities; and (3) audit standards for such authorities. Directs the Under Secretary of Commerce for Technology to provide administrative support to the Panel and report to Congress on the Panel's recommendations.