Sinking Fund Powers and duties of said board. CHAPTER 2. AN ACT to provide for the erection and completion of the Capitol, and other necessary buildings at the seat of government. Whereas, The public buildings of the State at the Capitol are notoriously inadequate to furnish proper halls, offices and places of business, to enable the General Assembly and the State officials to properly and efficiently discharge the duties of their offices; and records and valuable papers of the State can not therein be properly protected and cared for; and, Whereas, The present buildings do not comport with the dignity, intelligence and wealth of the State; therefore, Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: § 1. That the commissioners of the sinking fund of Kentucky, by that name and style, are hereby created and authorized as a board to carry out the provisions of this act, and erect and complete the buildings herein provided for. The buildings herein provided for shall be located and built upon the grounds, or lot, now used for the State Capitol, and not elsewhere. 2. Said board is authorized and empowered to adopt plans and specifications for the construction and completion of the Capitol buildings at Frankfort, Kentucky, as it may deem best and most suitable for the accommodation of the General Assembly and the State officials and the departments thereof, having due regard for the safety and preservation of the State records; and may change said plans as the necessity may arise in the progress of the work. After said plans and specifications are adopted by said board, it shall advertise for sealed proposals for bidders for said work, or any part thereof, and the said work shall be awarded to the lowest and best bidder, due regard being had to the responsibility of the bidder. Sub-contractors shall in no case be recognized by the board, the responsibility to continue in the principals and their sureties. The contract shall in no case provide for the payment in any one year, of an amount exceeding the income of, or the amount available for, that year from the amount appropriated under the provisions of this act. And it is in no sense to be construed as creating a debt of the State, except to the extent of the annual income or sum appropriated in the State Treasury under this act. Put any amount remaining on hand and unexpended in one year may be added to and expended in any subsequent year or years. Every contractor for work or material to be furnished under this act, shall execute to the board, a bond, conditioned for the faithful performance of his contract, with surety to be approved by said board. appropriated. § 3. The total expenditure for all purposes under Million dollars this act shall not exceed one million dollars; and to provide means therefor there is appropriated, and shall annually for the next four years, commencing with the present fiscal year, be set apart by the Auditor of Public Accounts and the treasurer from the general revenue, the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, the same to be paid out and expended for the purpose of the construction and completion of public buildings at the seat of government, and to be paid out by the treasurer upon the order of the board, when signed by its chairman and secretary. But said board may expend more than two hundred and fifty thousand dollars per year if practicable to do so, and necessary for the due prosecution of the work, provided available Record of proceedings. Member of board not to be interested. funds not otherwise appropriated, are on hand, not exceeding however, the total sum appropriated hereunder. § 4. Said board shall hold its meetings at the seat of government, and a majority thereof shall constitute a quorum, but no contract shall be approved except by four-fifths of all the members of the board. The said board shall keep a record of all its proceedings and acts, and cause to be kept by the secretary, a true and complete record of all the money paid out, to whom and for what purpose, and under what order and contract. Monthly statements shall be made to the Governor by the said secretary, and a full and complete report shall be made to the General Assembly in regular or extra session. § 5. It shall be unlawful for any of the said board, or any employe thereof (except the particular contractors) to be connected, either directly or indirectly, in any manner whatsoever, with any contract, or part thereof, for the erection of said Capitol buildings, or for any work connected therewith, or for furnishing any of the supplies or material therefor, or to receive any benefit therefrom, or the promise of any benefit therefrom either by way of commission, rebate, bonus, division of profit or otherwise, and any one of said board, or such employe who shall violate the provisions of this act, shall be guilty of a felony, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be subject to a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars, and imprisonment in the penitentiary not exceeding five years. It shall be unlawful for said board to employ any person in the supervision of the building of said Capitol, or in any way connected therewith, who may or shall become in any manner connected, directly or indirectly, with any contract for the erection of the said Capitol buildings, or for the furnishing of any material or supplies therefor; and the said board are hereby charged with a rigid enforcement of this provision. tect and Superin $6. Said board shall erect and complete the build- Secretary, Archiings herein provided for, and shall effectuate the pur- tendent. pose of this act in accordance with the provisions hereof; and may employ a secretary or clerk at a salary of not exceeding one hundred dollars per month, and a competent architect; also a superintendent of the building at a salary of not exceeding two thousand dollars per year. $ 7. All original and supplemental contracts made Contracts. by the board shall be in writing and signed by the party or parties, in duplicate, and one of the originals deposited in the office of the Auditor of Public Accounts, as a public record therein, and properly authenticated copies therof shall be evidence in all courts and other places. And the Franklin Circuit Court is given jurisdiction of all matters and issues which may arise under the provisions of this act. § S. The said board may adopt such rules to carry out the work contemplated by this act as it may deem best for the interest of the State, and require a compliance with same. Whereas, The necessity for the erection and completion of the Capitol buildings at the seat of government produces an emergency, this act shall take effect from and after its passage. Approved February 6, 1904. Commissions created. CHAPTER 3. AN ACT to create a State School Book Commission and a County School Book Commission and to procure for use in the public schools of this Commonwealth a uniform series of text books, and to define the duties and powers of said commission, to fix the maximum prices of said text books, to make preparations for carrying this act into effect, and providing penalties for the violation of the same. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: $ 1. There is hereby created a State School Book Commission which shall consist of the Governor, the Auditor of Public Accounts, the State Treasurer, the Clerk of the Court of Appeals, and the three members of the State Board of Education. The Governor shali be chairman, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction shall be secretary, and they shall be the executive officers of said commission. The members of said School Book Commission shall serve without compensation, other than that received by them respectively, as in cumbents of the State offices which they hold. Before transacting any business relating to the duties of the commission, they shall each take an oath before some one authorized by law to administer the same, to faithfully and honestly perform all the duties imposed upon them by this act, and that they have no interest, directly or indirectly, in any contract that may be made hereunder, and that they will receive no personal benefit therefrom. All meetings of said commission shall be held in the office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, who, as secretary of said commission shall be the custodian of all papers, records and sample books which shall at all times be held subject to inspection by any member of |