(a) (1) Each board shall receive and preserve all campaign finance reports that are required to be filed with it under this article.
(2) Subject to paragraph (3) of this subsection, the campaign finance reports received by a board shall be kept as part of its records for:
(i) a period not to exceed 5 years after the campaign finance report is filed; or
(ii) a longer period if required by a court of competent jurisdiction or the State Board by regulation.
(3) (i) Notwithstanding paragraph (2) of this subsection, if the campaign finance report is that of a campaign finance entity of a candidate, the board shall keep the campaign finance report as a part of its records for at least 1 year after the expiration of the term of the public or party office for which the candidate sought nomination or election.
(ii) Subparagraph (i) of this paragraph applies whether or not:
1. the candidate is nominated, elected, or completes the term of office; and
2. the campaign finance report relates to more than one candidate.
(b) Campaign finance reports shall be open for public inspection during the regular office hours of the board that retains them.
(c) Subject to subsection (a) of this section, a board shall transfer the campaign finance reports filed with it to the State Archives.
(d) (1) Before transferring a campaign finance report to the State Archives, a board shall make a record of any overdue campaign finance report from the same campaign finance entity and submit a copy of the record to the State Archives and, if made by a local board, to the State Board.
(2) The record shall include:
(i) the name of the campaign finance entity;
(ii) the name of the treasurer;
(iii) an identification of the missing campaign finance report; and
(iv) if no later campaign finance report has been filed by the entity, the amount of any outstanding balance, and any outstanding obligations, shown on the last campaign finance report filed.
(e) A copy of a campaign finance report may be used as evidence in a court in accordance with § 10-204 of the Courts Article.