(A) Except for offering materials filed with the division of securities in connection with exempt transactions under divisions (Q) and (W) of section 1707.03 of the Revised Code, all applications and other papers filed with the division shall be open to inspection at all reasonable times, except for unreasonable or improper purposes.

(B) Information obtained by the division through any offering materials filed with the division in connection with exempt transactions under divisions (Q) and (W) of section 1707.03 of the Revised Code or through any investigation shall be retained by the division and shall not be available to inspection by persons other than those having a direct economic interest in the information or the transaction under investigation, or by law enforcement agencies, state agencies, federal agencies, and other entities as set forth by rules adopted by the division.

(C) Confidential law enforcement investigatory records and trial preparation records of the division of securities or any other law enforcement or administrative agency which are in the possession of the division of securities shall in no event be available to inspection by other than law enforcement agencies, state agencies, federal agencies, and other entities as set forth by rules adopted by the division.

(D) All public records shall be prepared and made available promptly to any member of the general public at all reasonable times for inspection. Upon request, the custodian of public records shall make copies of the records available at cost, within a reasonable period of time. To facilitate public access, the division shall maintain public records in such a manner that they can be made available pursuant to this section.

(E) No employee or representative of the division or the department of commerce shall be required to testify concerning any document or record subject to division (B) or (C) of this section, except as set forth by rules adopted by the division.

(F) As used in this section:

(1) "Confidential law enforcement investigatory record" means any record that pertains to a law enforcement matter of a criminal, quasi-criminal, civil, or administrative nature, provided that release of the record would create a high probability of disclosure of any of the following:

(a) The identity of a suspect who has not been charged with the offense to which the record pertains, or of an information source or witness to whom confidentiality reasonably has been promised;

(b) Information provided by an information source or witness to whom confidentiality reasonably has been promised, which information reasonably would tend to disclose the identity of the information source or witness;

(c) Specific confidential investigatory techniques or procedures or specific investigatory work product.

(2) "Trial preparation record" means any record that contains information that is specifically compiled in reasonable anticipation of, or in defense of, a criminal, quasi-criminal, civil, or administrative action or proceeding, including, but not limited to, the independent thought processes and personal trial preparation of an attorney and division personnel, their notes, diaries, and memoranda.

Effective Date: 06-18-2002 .