It shall be the duty of the clerk of the superior court of each county, and every other person to whom the acts of the General Assembly, appellate division reports or other public documents are transmitted or deposited for the use of the county or the State, to keep the same safely in their respective offices; and if any such person having the custody of such books and documents, for the uses aforesaid, shall negligently and willfully dispose of the same, by sale or otherwise, or refuse to deliver over the same to his successor in office, he shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. If the clerk of superior court or other custodian determines that the acts of the General Assembly or the appellate division reports no longer are necessary to the effective operation of his or her office, the clerk or other custodian may transfer these materials to the proper recipient for disposition as surplus State property or as otherwise directed by the State Surplus Property Agency of the Department of Administration. ?(1881, c. 151; Code, s. 1073; Rev., s. 3598; C.S., s. 4395; 1969, c. 44, s. 26; 1993, c. 539, s. 151; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c); 2015-40, s. 2.)