Section 7-1-70. Disclosure of information

   (a) Records of the department, regardless of the medium by which stored, are confidential. Except as otherwise provided in this Code section, this chapter, or departmental rule or regulation, and, notwithstanding the provisions of Article 4 of Chapter 18 of Title 50, such records shall not be open to inspection by or made available to the public. The commissioner and all other officials and employees of the department shall not disclose facts and information obtained in the course of their duties, including information obtained from examinations, investigations, and reports as required or authorized in this part. The department may, however, provide by rule, regulation, or order for public access to certain records which, in the opinion of the commissioner, do not contain sensitive information and from which disclosure the public would benefit.

(b) Subject to the exceptions, safeguards, and limitations contained in subsection (c) of this Code section, the restrictions of subsection (a) of this Code section shall not apply to disclosures:

   (1) Within the department or made to the Governor in the course of official duties;

   (2) Required by law, including disclosures required by subpoena or other legal process of a court or administrative agency having competent jurisdiction in legal proceedings and, where applicable, when the financial institution is a party or where the information is not otherwise available upon direct subpoena of a financial institution;

   (3) In prosecutions or other court actions to which the department or the commissioner is a party;

   (4) Made to federal or state financial institution supervisory agencies, other federal or state regulatory agencies with legal authority over such institution, the United States Department of Justice (including the Federal Bureau of Investigation), the United States Department of the Treasury, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, or state or local law enforcement authorities;

   (5) Made to any officer, attorney, or director of the involved financial institution, made to any officer, attorney, or director of the involved financial institution's holding company, or with the written consent of said financial institution or holding company;

   (6) Made in a publication of the department which is available to the general public;

   (7) Of general economic and similar data considered by the department in regard to requests for new articles, new branches, changes in the location of facilities, or similar matters made to parties interested in the department's action in regard thereto; and

   (8) Made to a financial institution concerning the past job performance of a prospective employee with the written consent of such prospective employee, provided such written consent shall not be required in circumstances provided for in Code Section 7-1-840.

(c) The following exceptions, safeguards, and limitations shall apply:

   (1) Disclosures made under subsection (b) of this Code section shall be made, where appropriate, under safeguards designed to prevent further dissemination of confidential data; provided, however, that for disclosures of suspected criminal activity made under paragraph (4) of subsection (b) of this Code section, the confidentiality safeguards already in place within those agencies shall be considered adequate. Except for disclosures under paragraph (2) of subsection (b) of this Code section, the department shall not be required to make authorized disclosures where it deems such disclosures undesirable;

   (2) All disclosures shall be limited to only those documents directly relevant to the inquiry or legal dispute at issue; and

   (3) The documents listed below shall be considered absolutely privileged and confidential and shall be exempt from open inspection and not subject to disclosure by the department without a specific order of court pursuant to Code Section 7-1-90, which order specifically holds the public interest in the safety and soundness of the banking system and its regulation to be outweighed by other interests of justice. Such exempt documents shall include:

      (A) Departmental internal investigations, documents, and notes which reflect the deliberative processes of employees;

      (B) Opinions provided in confidence to the department regarding proposed new banks;

      (C) Informal notes and memos of the department that are not purely factual in nature;

      (D) Advisory opinions;

      (E) Recommendations, summaries, and analyses that are utilized for departmental internal purposes and are not final orders or reports; and

      (F) Other similar materials or notes.

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code section, the commissioner may, without waiving any privilege, authorize access to confidential supervisory information for any appropriate governmental, law enforcement, or other public purpose.

(e) Violation of this Code section shall be grounds for removal from office.

Code 1933, § 41A-311, enacted by Ga. L. 1974, p. 705, § 1; Ga. L. 1975, p. 445, § 6; Ga. L. 1982, p. 3, § 7; Ga. L. 1989, p. 1211, § 4; Ga. L. 1998, p. 795, § 6; Ga. L. 2002, p. 1220, § 4; Ga. L. 2003, p. 843, § 2.