(a) An employee of the Arkansas Forestry Commission shall not be directly or indirectly interested in the purchase of timber estimated under this subchapter.
(b) If an employee of the commission violates this section or if a person aids or abets an employee of the commission in the violation of this section, upon conviction he or she is guilty of a violation and shall be fined in a sum of not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500) and if employed by the commission, he or she shall be removed from employment with the commission.