(a) The county commissioners or other officers having charge of a county's business shall provide a book or books for the clerk of the superior court in the county, in which the clerk shall record and index the discharge certificates of all former members of the armed services of the United States residing in the county, showing their discharge from military service. The clerk shall from time to time be furnished such additional books for such purpose as may be necessary. Every entry shall be signed by the clerk and dated with the year, day, and hour accurately stated, and a certificate of registry shall be endorsed by the clerk on each discharge recorded. In addition, a veteran may submit the following information to the clerk of the superior court who shall record and index such information in the same books in which military discharges are recorded:

(1) Copy 4, DD Form 214 issued by the United States government;

(2) Any copy of DD Form 214 with a raised seal issued by the United States National Personnel Records Center; or

(3) United States National Archives Form 13038.

(b) Any records made before August 8, 1921, by the clerk of the superior court in substantial compliance with this Code section shall be considered as recorded under the terms of this Code section.

(c)

(1) Any DD 214 record filed pursuant to this Code section shall for a period of 50 years following its filing be exempt from Chapter 18 of Title 50, relating to open records. During that 50 year period, it shall be unlawful for any person to permit inspection of any such record, to disclose information contained in any such record, or to issue a copy of all or any part of such record except as authorized by this subsection or by order of a court of competent jurisdiction.

(2) Upon presentation of proper identification, any of the following persons may examine a record filed pursuant to this Code section or obtain free of charge a copy or certified copy of all or part of such record:

(A) The person who is the subject of the record;

(B) The spouse or next of kin of the person who is the subject of the record;

(C) A person named in an appropriate power of attorney executed by the person who is the subject of the record;

(D) The administrator, executor, guardian, or legal representative of the person who is the subject of the record; or

(E) An attorney for any person specified in subparagraphs (A) through (D) of this paragraph.

(3) Records kept pursuant to this Code section shall not be reproduced or used in whole or in part for any commercial or speculative purposes.

(4) Any individual, agency, or court which obtains information pursuant to this subsection shall not disseminate or disclose such information or any part thereof except as authorized in this subsection or otherwise by law.

(5) Violation of this subsection shall constitute a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $5,000.00; provided, however, that the clerk of the superior court shall not be liable and shall be held harmless for any act of any person who copies, reproduces, or uses records in violation of this subsection.