Section 20-2-1012. Committee or committees to make recommendations on textbooks; additions to approved lists

   (a) The State Board of Education shall select a committee or committees of educators actually engaged in public school work in this state to examine textbooks and make recommendations thereon to the state board. Such committee or committees shall consist of such number of educators as the state board may deem advisable, not exceeding five in each instance. They shall serve for such time and for such duties as the state board may prescribe and shall receive such compensation as may be fixed by the state board.

(b) In addition to any other method of textbook selection, the State Board of Education shall add to the approved list of textbooks for use in the public schools of this state any textbook or series of textbooks requested in writing by:

   (1) The superintendents of five or more different school systems; or

   (2) Twenty or more teachers from at least 20 different school systems who teach and are certified to teach the courses encompassed by the textbook requested,

if the requisite number of requests for the specified textbook are received within any 365 day period. A textbook so required to be added to the approved list shall be added within 30 days following the receipt by the state board of the requisite number of requests. No designation shall be included upon the approved list which indicates the manner in which any textbook was added to the list. Other than the selection method, publishers whose textbooks are added to the approved list as provided in this subsection shall be required to comply with the same rules regarding textbooks as other publishers, including but not limited to price, durability, and availability.

Ga. L. 1937, p. 896, § 2; Ga. L. 1995, p. 1017, § 1.