[Sale of bonds; publication of notice; bids.]

The regents shall offer said bonds for sale after publication of notice of the time and place of sale, in some newspaper of general circulation in Albuquerque, New Mexico, once each week for four (4) consecutive weeks prior to the date fixed for said sale. Such notice shall specify the amount, denomination, maturity dates and the description of the bonds to be offered for sale, and the place, day and hour at which sealed bids therefor will be received and opened, and that only unconditional bids will be considered, and that each bid must be accompanied by a certified check on a solvent bank, payable to the order of the secretary of the board of regents, for not less than five (5) per centum of the par value of the bonds offered for sale, as a guaranty that the bonds will be taken by the bidder if his bid is accepted. At the place and time specified in such notice, the board of regents shall publicly open the bids and award the bonds to the responsible bidder or bidders offering the highest price therefor, but no bid shall be accepted for less than the par value of said bonds, plus the accrued interest from the last preceding interest date to the date of delivery of said bonds. Before delivery of the bonds to the purchaser, the secretary and treasurer of the board shall detach and cancel all matured interest coupons. The said board shall have and reserve the right to reject any and all bids at such sale and to readvertise the same. The state treasurer may, with the approval of the sate [state] board of finance and the other officials whose approval may be required by law for the investment of public funds, purchase such bonds at par and accrued interest to date of delivery for such investment, without the necessity of advertising or publicly offering said bonds for sale; and said treasurer is hereby authorized to invest moneys of the permanent school fund in said bonds. Such bonds shall be accepted at their par value by all public officials in this state as security for the repayment of all deposits of public moneys of this state, or of any county, municipality or public institution thereof, and as security for the faithful performance of any obligation or duty to guarantee the performance of which such officials are now authorized by law to accept a deposit of the bonds of this state or of the United States of America.