(a) General Prohibition. Except as otherwise provided, it is a breach of the ethical standards of this chapter for a board member to contract with the public educational entity the member serves if the board member has knowledge that he or she is directly or indirectly interested in the contract.
(b) Employment of Family Members.
(1)
(A)
(i) A board member's family member may not be initially employed by the public educational entity the member serves during the member's tenure of service on the local board for compensation in excess of five thousand dollars ($5,000) unless the Commissioner of Education issues a letter of exemption and approves the employment contract based on unusual and limited circumstances.
(ii) The determination of unusual and limited circumstances shall be at the sole discretion of the commissioner and may be further defined by rule of the State Board of Education.
(B) A family member of a school district board member who was employed by the public educational entity during the school year immediately preceding the election of the board member may continue employment with the public educational entity under the same terms and conditions of the previously executed contract and any renewal of the contract under § 6-17-1506.
(C) Subject to the local board's written policy, a qualified family member of a board member may be employed as a substitute teacher, substitute cafeteria worker, or substitute bus driver for a period of time not to exceed a total of thirty (30) days per fiscal year for the public educational entity served by the board member.
(2)
(A)
(i) No employment contract that is prohibited under subdivision (b)(1) of this section is valid or enforceable by any party to the employment contract until approved in writing by the commissioner.
(ii) The commissioner's approval of an employment contract may include restrictions and limitations that are by this subsection incorporated as terms or conditions of the contract.
(B) Excluding any renewal of a contract under § 6-17-1506, any change in the terms or conditions of an employment contract, a promotion, or a change in employment status for a family member of a school district board member employed by a public educational entity that will result in an increase in compensation of more than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) must be approved in writing by the commissioner before any change in the terms or conditions of the employment contract or promotion or changes in employment status are effective, valid, or enforceable.
(c) Exceptions.
(1) Board Approval.
(A)
(i) In unusual and limited circumstances, a public educational entity's board may approve a contract, but not an employment contract, between the public educational entity and the board member or the board member's family if the board determines that the contract is in the best interest of the public educational entity.
(ii) In unusual and limited circumstances, a public educational entity's board may approve an employment contract as provided in this section.
(B)
(i) The approval by the public educational entity's board shall be documented by written resolution after fully disclosing the reasons justifying the contract or employment contract in an open meeting.
(ii) The resolution shall state the unusual and limited circumstances necessitating the contract or employment contract and shall document the restrictions and limitations of the contract or employment contract.
(C) If any proposed contract or employment contract is with a family member of a board member or a board member directly or indirectly interested in the proposed contract or employment contract, then the board member shall leave the meeting until the voting on the issue is concluded, and the absent board member shall not be counted as having voted.
(2) Independent Approval.
(A)
(i) If it appears the total transactions or contracts with the board member or a family member for a fiscal year total, or will total, ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or more, the superintendent or other chief administrator of the public educational entity shall forward the written resolution along with all relevant data to the commissioner for independent review and approval.
(ii) The written resolution and other relevant data shall be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, or other method approved by the state board to assure that adequate notice has been received by the Department of Education and to provide a record for the school district board of directors sending the request for approval.
(B)
(i) Upon review of the submitted data for any contract, including an employment contract as provided in subsection (b) of this section, the commissioner, within twenty (20) days of receipt of the resolution and other relevant data, shall approve or disapprove in writing the board's request.
(ii) The commissioner may request additional information or testimony before ruling on a request. If additional data are needed for a proper determination, the commissioner shall approve or disapprove the contract within twenty (20) days of receipt of the additional requested data.
(iii) If the commissioner does not respond to the public educational entity within the twenty-day period or request additional time or data for a proper review of the contract, the contract shall be deemed to be approved by the commissioner.
(C)
(i) If approved, the commissioner shall issue an approval letter stating all relevant facts and circumstances considered and any restrictions or limitations pertaining to the approval.
(ii)
(a) The commissioner may grant the approval for a particular transaction or contract, a series of related transactions or contracts, or employment contracts.
(b) However, approval shall not be granted for a period greater than two (2) complete and consecutive fiscal years, excluding employment contracts.
(D) No contract subject to the commissioner's review and approval shall be valid or enforceable until an approval letter has been issued by the commissioner or the commissioner fails to respond to the public educational entity within the time periods specified in this section.
(d) Records. The department and the public educational entity shall maintain, under their respective record retention policies, a record and copy of all documentation relating to transactions or contracts with board members or members of their families.
(e) Providing False or Incomplete Information. Any board member or other person knowingly furnishing false information or knowingly not fully disclosing relevant information necessary for a proper determination by the public educational entity or the commissioner shall be guilty of violating the provisions of this chapter.