§ 78C-31.  Administrative files and opinions.

(a) A document is filed when it is received by the Administrator.

(b) The Administrator shall keep a register of all applications for registration which are or have been effective under this Chapter and all denial, suspension, or revocation orders or similar orders which have been entered under this Chapter. The register shall be open for public inspection.

(c) The information contained in or filed with any registration, application, or report may be made available to the public under such rules as the Administrator prescribes.

(c1) The files and records of the Administrator relating to criminal investigations and enforcement proceedings undertaken pursuant to this Chapter are subject to the provisions of G.S. 132-1.4.

(c2) The files and records of the Administrator relating to noncriminal investigations and enforcement proceedings undertaken pursuant to this Chapter shall not be subject to inspection and examination pursuant to G.S. 132-6 until the investigations and proceedings are completed and cease to be active.

(c3) Any information obtained by the Administrator from any law enforcement agency, administrative agency, or regulatory organization on a confidential or otherwise restricted basis in the course of an investigation or proceeding undertaken pursuant to this Chapter shall be confidential and exempt from G.S. 132-6 to the same extent that it is confidential in the possession of the providing agency or organization.

(c4) Notwithstanding subsections (c1) and (c2) of this section, any records obtained by the Administrator in connection with an examination under G.S. 78C-18(e), an investigation under G.S. 78C-27, or an action under G.S. 78C-28 or G.S. 78C-19 shall not be a public record available for public examination.

(c5) A record that is not required to be provided to the Administrator or filed under this act and is provided to the Administrator only on the condition that the information will not be subject to public examination or disclosure is not a public record that is available for public examination.

(c6) The Administrator may disclose a record obtained in connection with an examination under G.S. 78C-18(e), an investigation under G.S. 78C-27, or an action under G.S. 78C-28 or G.S. 78C-19 if disclosure is for the purpose of a civil, administrative, or criminal investigation, action, or proceeding or to a securities regulator of one or more states, Canada or one or more of its provinces or territories, one or more foreign countries; the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, the United States Department of Justice, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, the Securities Investor Protection Corporation, a self-regulatory organization, a national or international organization of securities regulators, federal or state banking and insurance regulators, and any governmental law enforcement agency, in order to effectuate greater uniformity in securities matters among the federal government, self-regulatory organizations, and state and foreign governments.

(d) Upon request and at such reasonable charges as the Administrator prescribes, the Administrator shall furnish to any person photostatic or other copies (certified under the seal of office if requested) of any entry in the register or any document which is a matter of public record. In any proceeding or prosecution under this Chapter, any copy so certified is prima facie evidence of the contents of the entry or document certified.

(e) The Administrator may honor requests from interested persons for interpretative opinions upon the payment of a fee of one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00). (1987 (Reg. Sess., 1988), c. 1098, s. 1; 1997-462, s. 10; 2020-74, s. 23(d).)