Section 12-8-78. Public access to information; protection of confidential information; access to confidential information by federal government and courts

   (a) Any records, reports, or information obtained from any person by the director under this part or the rules and regulations promulgated under this part shall be available to the public for inspection and copying at the expense of the person requesting copies.

(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this Code section, upon a showing satisfactory to the director by any person that any records, reports, or information, or any particular part thereof, to which the director has access under this article or the rules and regulations would, if made public, divulge information entitled to protection or confidentiality under law, the director shall consider such information or any particular portion thereof confidential in accordance with the purposes of the law under which confidentiality or protection is claimed, provided that such records, reports, documents, or information may be disclosed to officers, employees, or authorized representatives of the United States government concerned with carrying out the terms of the federal act or when required by any court in any proceeding under the federal act or under this article.

Ga. L. 1979, p. 1127, § 20; Ga. L. 1992, p. 2234, § 5; Ga. L. 1996, p. 6, § 12.