(a) The State Superintendent of Education, members of the State Board of Education, local superintendents of education, and members of local boards of education shall not do any of the following:
(1) Possess an interest, directly or indirectly, in any contract that might be made pursuant to this article for the purchase of textbooks by the state or local boards of education.
(2) Possess any interest as an author, an associate author, a publisher, a representative or agent of an author or of a publisher of any textbook.
(3) Possess any pecuniary interest, directly or indirectly, in the business or profits of any person, firm or corporation engaged in manufacturing, publishing, or selling of textbooks.
(4) Accept any emolument, promise of future reward or consideration of value of any kind from any publisher of textbooks or his or her agent.
(b) Each member of the State Board of Education and each member of all local boards of education shall prepare an affidavit as required by Section 16-36-62 in the case of members of local textbook committees.
(c) Any violation of this section shall be unlawful. Upon conviction of such a violation, the person shall be subject to a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or five years in the state penitentiary, or both, and his or her office as a superintendent, or as a member of the State Board of Education or member of a local board of education shall be forfeited.
Last modified: May 3, 2021