10-16A-5: Education and voluntary compliance.

A. The secretary of state shall advise and seek to educate all persons required to perform duties under the Financial Disclosure Act of those duties. This includes providing timely advance notice of the required financial disclosure statement and preparing forms that are clear and easy to complete.

B. The secretary of state shall seek first to ensure voluntary compliance with the provisions of the Financial Disclosure Act. A person who violates that act unintentionally or for good cause shall be given ten days' notice to correct the matter before fines are imposed. Referrals to the state ethics commission for civil enforcement of the Financial Disclosure Act shall be pursued only after efforts to secure voluntary compliance with that act have failed.