Section 21-2-586. Refusal by Secretary of State or his or her employee to permit public inspection of documents; removal, destruction, or alteration of documents

   (a) If the Secretary of State or any employee of his or her office willfully refuses to permit the public inspection or copying, in accordance with this chapter, of any return, petition, certificate, paper, account, contract, report, or any other document or record in his or her custody, except when in use, or willfully removes any such document or record from his or her office during such period or permits the same to be removed, except pursuant to the direction of competent authority, the Secretary of State or employee of his or her office shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

(b) If the Secretary of State or any employee of his or her office willfully destroys, alters, or permits to be destroyed or altered any document described in subsection (a) of this Code section during the period for which the same is required to be kept in his or her office, the Secretary of State or employee of his or her office shall be guilty of a felony.

Code 1933, § 34-1903, enacted by Ga. L. 1964, Ex. Sess., p. 26, § 1; Ga. L. 1998, p. 295, § 1.