SB 265, as introduced, Lara. Postsecondary education: electronic textbooks.
Existing law urges publishers of textbooks to take specified actions aimed at reducing the amounts that students pay for textbooks, including providing to faculty and departments considering textbook orders a list of all the different products the publisher sells. By January 1, 2020, existing law requires publishers of textbooks offered for sale at postsecondary educational institutions to make the textbooks available, in whole or in part, to the extent practicable, in an electronic format, and requires electronic versions of textbooks to include the same content as the printed versions.
This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would ensure clear and consistent practices surrounding electronic textbooks for the state’s college and university students.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
2following:
3(1) The cost of attending the state’s public colleges and
4universities has skyrocketed in recent years. While fees often tend
5to be the most visible cost, other non-tuition-related costs, such as
P2 1the cost of textbooks, significantly burden both students and their
2families. For example, the average annual student budget for
3textbooks at the California Community Colleges can be almost
4150 percent of the cost of tuition.
5(2) The State Auditor’s Office has reported that increases in
6textbook prices have significantly outpaced median household
7income, which makes it more likely that some students
will forgo
8or delay attending college.
9(3) In response to these trends, the state has taken several steps
10to address the rising costs of textbooks, including making textbooks
11available in electronic format. Electronic textbooks have the
12potential to increase access and convenience and reduce costs for
13students.
14(4) Students, however, have encountered several problems with
15online materials, including undisclosed fees, inconsistent refund
16policies, and unclear access privileges.
17(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that
18would ensure clear and consistent practices surrounding electronic
19textbooks for the state’s college and university students.
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