(a) The State Board of Education is authorized to prescribe, by
regulation, the definition of the term “instructional materials and content” to include but not be limited to systematically designed material in any medium, including digital instructional materials and content and any computer hardware, software, and technical equipment necessary to support such instructional materials and content, that constitutes the principal source of study for a state funded course to be used in the various grades in the public schools of this state, including the elementary grades and high school grades. The state board may provide, by regulation, for multiple listings of instructional materials and content for use in the various grades and may, in its discretion, authorize the local school superintendents to exercise a choice as between various instructional materials and content so listed or adopted for any particular grade.
(b) Nothing in this Code section shall be construed to exempt computer hardware or related equipment acquired by the state from competitive bidding.