2018 Mississippi Code
Title 37 - Education
Chapter 43 - Textbooks
§ 37-43-59. Furnishing and disposition of samples.
(1) Not more than one (1) pupil copy, one (1) teacher’s edition, and one (1) copy of any limited auxiliary materials shall be furnished as samples or specimen copies to any single person involved in the state rating, adoption process of free textbooks. Any and all sample or specimen textbooks or other materials furnished to any person serving in an official capacity or as an officer or employee in a school receiving free textbooks shall be furnished only by the State Board of Education after receipt from the publishers. No samples shall be furnished by publishers directly to any such person. The board shall keep detailed records of all samples furnished to all persons and establish such procedures for return of all samples. The intent of this provision is that no person serving in an official capacity shall receive personal benefit or profit from sale of sample or specimen textbooks.
(2) Not more than one (1) pupil copy, one (1) teacher’s edition, and one (1) copy of any limited auxiliary materials shall be furnished for review and inspection to any single person involved in the selection committee process of free textbooks. Any and all textbooks or other materials furnished to any such person serving in a selection committee capacity for inspection and review shall be furnished subject to the rules and regulations adopted by the board which such rules and regulations shall not prohibit direct delivery by the publishers to such persons. The board shall keep detailed records of all textbooks and auxiliary materials furnished to all such persons and establish such procedures for the return thereof. Any and all textbooks furnished to persons serving on selection committees shall be turned in to the State School Book Depository without any cost to the State of Mississippi and shall be credited to the account of the publisher. Any and all textbooks so furnished to persons serving on selection committees which have not been returned within one (1) year of the receipt of same the value thereof shall be charged against the allocation of state funds to said school district to the same extent as if said books had been purchased by said school district. The intent of this provision is that no person serving as a selection committee member shall receive personal benefit or proceeds from the sale of said textbooks.
(3) The State School Book Depository shall pay into the State Treasury to the credit of the State Textbook Fund the net wholesale price less an eight percent (8%) distribution cost and freight charges of those adopted textbooks which are returned by the rating committees as required herein. The board shall also provide for the sale of damaged books and those textbooks not adopted into the secondary textbook market on an annual basis. The State School Book Depository shall pay into the State Treasury to the credit of the State Textbook Fund the amount received for which said textbooks are sold less an eight percent (8%) distribution cost and freight charges of said textbooks which are damaged or not adopted.
(4) Any person converting to personal use or selling any sample or specimen textbook or other materials contrary to provisions of this section shall be guilty of the crime of embezzlement as provided by Section 97-11-25 and in addition shall upon conviction pay a fine of Fifty Dollars ($50.00) per book sold or converted to personal use and shall be removed from any public office or public employment position held.
