Unless otherwise provided by law, public records must remain in the legal custody of the office in which they were originally filed, which shall be considered the office of record, or shall be destroyed or transferred pursuant to instructions from the state or local records committee as required by chapter 40.14 RCW. They shall not be placed in the legal or physical custody of any other person or agency, public or private, or released to individuals, except for disposition pursuant to law or unless otherwise expressly provided by law or by these regulations.