§17-5-20. Appointment of designated filing agents; submission of reports.

(a) A candidate, or in the case of a political action committee, the chair or treasurer, may appoint a designated filing agent on a form prescribed by the Secretary of State. Upon receiving a notice of appointment of designated filing agent, the Secretary of State, as soon as practicable, shall take the necessary steps to enable the designated filing agent to electronically submit any report or other filing required by this chapter on behalf of his or her principal.

(b) The submission of a timely, complete, and correct report or other filing required by this chapter by a designated filing agent shall satisfy the filing or reporting requirement of the designated filing agent's principal; however, the appointment of a designated filing agent does not itself absolve any person having a duty to submit any report or other filing under this chapter of liability for failure to timely submit such filing, for filing a false, incomplete, or inaccurate report, or for any other violation under this chapter.

(c) The submission of a report or other filing required by this chapter by a designated filing agent creates a rebuttable presumption that the submission was approved and intended by the candidate, his or her principal campaign committee, or the political action committee or treasurer thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is a defense to prosecution that the designated filing agent acted beyond the scope of his or her authority.

(Act 2013-311, p. 1060, §2.)