126                              Laws of Maryland                         Ch. 97

(C) It shall be the duty of the Secretary of General Services to con-
tract for or purchase all materials, supplies, and equipment, except
those which the Secretary may determine are of a strictly perishable
character, or which the Secretary may determine it is impracticable
for the using authorities to purchase through or with the approval
of the Secretary, or which may be purchased by using authorities
under the authority and with the approval of the Secretary.

(D)  Estimates of the amount and quality of materials,, supplies and
equipment needed by the using authorities shall be submitted at such
periods as 'may be prescribed by the Secretary of General Services.
When purchases are made through competitive bidding, the Secre-
tary may require the successful bidder to furnish a bond to the State,
with good and sufficient surety, conditioned that he will fully and
faithfully perform the terms of the contract. The penalty of all
such bonds shall be determined by the Secretary.

(E)  No invoices for materials, supplies or equipment purchased by
the Secretary of General Services or the using authorities, shall be
paid until such invoices shall have received the approval of the Sec-
retary. It shall be unlawful for any using authorities whose salaries
and expenses are paid from the fees of his office to pay any con-
tractor or seller for articles of any kind, unless the invoice approved
by him is also approved by the Secretary. Any violation of this
provision shall be cause for removal by the Governor.

231H.

(A)  Neither the Secretary of General Services nor any employee of
the Department of General Services shall be interested in or in any
manner connected with, directly or indirectly, any contract or bid
for furnishing materials, supplies or equipment to any of the using
authorities. Neither shall the Secretary or any employee of the
Department accept or receive from any person to whom any contract
may be awarded, directly or indirectly, by rebate, gift or otherwise,
any money or things of value whatsoever, or any promise, obligation
or contract for future reward or compensation for any such party.
If the Secretary or any employee of the Department shall violate
any provision of this section, he shall be deemed guilty of a misde-
meanor and upon conviction shall be fined not less than $1,000 or
imprisoned for not more than six months, or both, in the discretion
of the court.

(B)   All contracts for printing for the State or for any using au-
thority, including the General Assembly of Maryland, with the excep-
tion of records and briefs for the State Law Department, and the
printing of the Maryland Reports authorized in Article 80 of the An-
notated Code of Maryland, title "Reporter—State," shall be made
through or with the approval of the Secretary of General Services.

(C)   On or before September 1st prior to the reconvening of each
session of the General Assembly, the Secretary of General Services
shall obtain from the President and Secretary of the Senate, and from
the Speaker and Chief Clerk of the House of Delegates, estimates of
materials, supplies and equipment needed during the session; and
the Secretary shall contract for the purchase of such supplies and
equipment, including all printing needed by the General Assembly.

(D)  It shall be the duty of the Secretary of General Services to re-
port his action in regard to materials, supplies and equipment for the