The commissioner shall, upon request of the local board and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the State Board of Education distribute to each school district an amount equal to the cost of textbooks purchased and loaned by the school district pursuant to this act, but in no event shall the aid appropriated to the district exceed the following amount:

a. The expenditures for the purchase of textbooks pursuant to this act made during the school year 1979-80 shall not exceed an average of $10.00 for each student residing in the district, who, on the last school day prior to October 16 of the preceding school year was enrolled in grades kindergarten through 12 of a public or nonpublic school; and,

b. The expenditures for the purchase of textbooks made during the school year 1980-81, and in any subsequent year shall not exceed the State average budgeted textbook expense per public school pupil for the prebudget year for each student residing in the district, who, on the last school day prior to October 16 of the preceding school year was enrolled in grades kindergarten through 12 of a public or nonpublic school.

L.1974,c.79,s.5; amended 1979,c.194,s.1; 1990,c.52,s.76.