Section 43-20A-8. Maintaining documents

   (a) The Secretary of State shall maintain all documents filed with the Secretary of State pursuant to this chapter in their original form or by copy.

(b) All documents filed with the Secretary of State pursuant to a subpoena, an order, or a notice to produce issued by the Secretary of State or any records or documents produced relating to an investigation pursuant to Code Section 43-20A-15 may be destroyed by order of the Secretary of State once the investigative file is closed, if a demand for return is not made by the person producing such records at the time he, she, or it produces the records.

(c) Any reproduction of any original writing or record filed with, or maintained by, the Secretary of State, or other filing depository designated by the Secretary of State, shall be deemed to have been made in the regular course of business. Such reproduction shall be subject to certification.

(d) All immigration assistance providers who are licensed or required to be licensed with the Secretary of State shall preserve records documenting compliance pursuant to this chapter for at least three years from the date such records were produced. Immigration assistance providers shall preserve client records that contain certain necessary information in a manner to be determined by the Secretary of State. Such records shall be subject to reasonable periodic or special inspections by the Secretary of State. An inspection may be made at any time and without prior notice. The Secretary of State may copy and remove any record the Secretary of State reasonably considers necessary or appropriate to conduct the inspection.

Code 1981, § 43-20A-8, enacted by Ga. L. 2008, p. 1112, § 15/HB 1055.