A. The head of each agency of the state or its subdivisions shall establish such safeguards against removal or loss of records as he shall consider necessary and as may be required by rules and regulations issued under authority of this Chapter. Such safeguards shall include making it known to all officials and employees of the agency that no records are to be alienated or destroyed except in accordance with law and the policies, rules, and regulations developed therefrom by the state archivist and the division, and calling their attention to the penalties provided by law for the unlawful removal or destruction of records.

            B. The secretary of state, acting through the state archivist, may refer any matter to the legislative auditor, inspector general, or attorney general as necessary for investigation relating to any instance of damaging, altering, tampering with, or falsifying records, including but not limited to fraudulent creation, distribution, or filing of records.

            Acts 1956, No. 337, §22; Acts 1985, No. 238, §1, eff. July 6, 1985; Acts 2021, No. 213, §1, eff. June 11, 2021.