The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-10-23

pressly or impliedly in conflict with the provisions of this act are hereby repealed Approved August G. 1915
 Official:
 JOHN PURIFOY,
 Secretary of State.
 AN ACT
 No. 414) (S 4O6. Bonner. To provide for the purchase of blank books, stationery and office supplies and materials for use in and by the several state offices. departments. commissions. bureaus and boards, other than the con- yict department, and for the use of the supreme court. the court of appeals and the state and supreme court library. Be it enacted by the legislature of Ala bama:
 l. That the secretary to the governor is hereby constituted and appointed purchas- ing agent for the several state offices, de- partments, commissions bureaus and boards, other than the convict depart
 ment, and also for the supreme court, the court of appeals and the state and su- preme court library. Het shall make and execute bond as such purchasing agent in some reputable surety company, in the sum of $10,00o. the premium on such bond to be paid by the state.
 ?. That when the head of any office or department named in the preceding sec ton desires any blank books, stationery, office supplies or materials of any kind or nature for the use of his department. he shall make written application there for to the purchasing agent, to be sworn to, which shall itemize the article desired by such applicant, shall show out of what fund they are to be paid, shall state that such articles are absolutely necessary and that the amount thereof is, in his opinion, not excessive, and that he will not knowingly permit any part of same to be used by any person or in any way except in the conduct of the states busi- ness All applications shall be carefully kept on file by the purchasing agent for presentation to the next regular meeting of the state board of purchase herein after provided.
 3. That the governor of Alabama the state auditor and the state treasurer are hereby constituted and appointed a state board of purchase, whose duties shall be as follows: The board shall hold regular quarterly meetings on the first Monday in February, on the first Monday in May, on the first Monday in August. and on the first Monday in November of each year, and if for any reason the board shall fail to meet at the times above named it shall meet as soon thereafter as convenient, and in cases
 of emergency it may hold called meetings on the unanimous written consent of it's members. At such meetings the board shall consider such acquisitions as are presented to it by the state purchasing agent, provided they are itemized and sworn to as required by this act. When it is deemed necessary or advisable the board may summon before it any appli- cant for supplies for oral examination. The board shall determine whether or not the articles requisitioned shall be pur- chased, or what part thereof shall be purchased. and shall instruct the pur- chasing agent in writing what articles shall be ordered by him No articles or supplies of any kind or nature what ever shall be purchased by any official of Alabama, or by any employe thereof, ex- cept as herein specified; provided, how ever, that the provisions of this act shall not apply to the purchase of supplies for the convict department of Alabama. Any 1.-two members of the board shall constitute a quorum but no supplies shall ever be purchased until as many as two members thereof shall vote in favor of such pur- chase.
 f. That the governor of Alabama is hereby made chairman of the board Of purchase, and the purchasing agent herein above provided shall be the secretary and the custodian of it's records careful and full minute and record Of the proceed- ings of all meetings shall be made and transcribed at length. immediately follow ing each meeting in well bound DOCK. All books, acquisitions, bids. correspon- dence and all other papers and docu- ments of the board of purchase and of the purcha sing agent are hereby declared to be public records; they shall be faithfully preserved, and shall at all times be open to ttE inspection of any official or citizen of the state.
 8. That the state board of purchase shall immediately after the adjournment or each meeting, notify the purchasing agent in writing what articles ana sup plies are to be purchased by him. The purchasing agent shall at once make out a full and complete itemized list of all such supplies and shall immediately give notice by one publication in some daily newspaper published in Montgomery, Ala.' that sealed written proposals to furnish such supplies will be opened by him in the governors office at a time to be stated in the notice not less than 10 and | not more than 20 days thereafter. The notice shall not contain an itemized list of the articles to be purchased, but snail state in a brief, general way the nature thereof. The itemized list, which is to be kept on file by the purchasing agent, shall be open to the inspection Of any party who wishes to offer proposals 10 furnish all or any part thereof. At the time fixed in the newspaper notice the purchasing agent shall publicly open all of the proposals and shall let the contract to the lowest responsible bidder, provided the price be reasonable and no greater than the prevailing market price. How ever he shall not purchase any supplies from any person to whom he or any mem Der of the board of purchase is related in any manner. or from any person or firm in which he or any member of the board of purchase has any pecuniary interest. The board of purchase is hereby author
 ized to require any bidder to deposit such securities as it may deem proper, and may also require bond or other surety to be furnished by any person. firm or corporation to whom any contract for supplies may. be awarded. If the purchas- ing agent deems it best for any reason to reject all bids submitted, he may do so, provided he first obtains the writ ten consent of majority of the board of purchase, which written consent must also show the reasons therefor. and shall be kept on file by the purchasing agent and open to public inspection
 6. That the purchasing agent is re- quired to keep on file In his office an in- ventory of all office furniture, fixtures and supplies of any nature in all offices. departments commissions, bureaus and boards and in the rooms or apartments of the supreme court. the court of ap- peals, the state and supreme court li- brary, and of the judges and the of ficers thereof in the state capitol, which inventory must be made and filed with him on or before the 1st day of January of each year. and at the time filed. and lannually thereafter. the purchasing agent shalt go to each office in the capitol and check over all articles of every kind l and supplies In each office above speci-
 1 fed and shall compare such inventory