Assembly Bill A5899

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5899
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 17, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  LUPINACCI  --  read once and referred to the
   Committee on Higher Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the  education  law,  in  relation  to  authorizing  the
   regents  of  the  university of the state of New York to create a task
   force to review the issues of textbooks' cost and ways to enhance  the
   academic  role  and  delivery  of  course  materials, ensuring student
   affordability through such approaches as used books, textbook rentals,
   custom materials, the use of open access textbooks, digital textbooks,
   print  on  demand  technologies,  and  through  greater  collaboration
   between faculty, publishers, college bookstores and libraries
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 725 to
 read as follows:
   § 725. FORMATION OF TASK FORCE. 1.  THE REGENTS OF THE  UNIVERSITY  OF
 THE  STATE OF NEW YORK ARE HEREBY AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED TO IMMEDIATELY
 TAKE ALL ACTIONS TO CREATE A TASK FORCE TO REVIEW THE  ISSUES  OF  TEXT-
 BOOKS'  COST  AND DELIVERY METHODS. THE TASK FORCE WILL CONSIST OF THIR-
 TEEN REPRESENTATIVES WHO SHALL BE SELECTED AMONG FACULTY  AND  REPRESEN-
 TATIVES  FROM  THE  STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW
 YORK, PRIVATE COLLEGES WITHIN NEW YORK  STATE,  AND  CAMPUS  BOOKSTORES.
 APPOINTMENTS  TO THE TASK FORCE SHALL BE MADE BY THE COMMISSIONER OF THE
 NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AFTER CONSULTATION  WITH  THE  STATE
 UNIVERSITY  OF  NEW  YORK, CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, PRIVATE COLLEGES
 AND CAMPUS BOOKSTORES WITHIN NEW YORK STATE. REPRESENTATIVES SERVING  ON
 THE  TASK FORCE FROM THE COLLEGES SHALL INCLUDE PROFESSIONAL STAFF KNOW-
 LEDGEABLE ABOUT TEXTBOOK INITIATIVES  CURRENTLY  BEING  PURSUED  BY  THE
 UNIVERSITY AND FACULTY MEMBERS. THE GOALS OF THE REPRESENTATIVES WILL BE
 TO  ADVISE  ON  AND  EXPLORE ISSUES OF COURSE MATERIAL COSTS AND WAYS TO
 ENHANCE THE ACADEMIC ROLE AND SERVICES OF  COLLEGE  BOOKSTORES  TO  HELP
 MAKE  COURSE  MATERIALS  MORE AFFORDABLE THROUGH SUCH APPROACHES AS USED
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD02990-01-7

 A. 5899                             2
 
 BOOKS, TEXTBOOK RENTALS, CUSTOM MATERIALS, THE USE OF OPEN ACCESS  TEXT-
 BOOKS,  DIGITAL  TEXTBOOKS,  PRINT  ON  DEMAND TECHNOLOGIES, AND THROUGH
 GREATER COLLABORATION BETWEEN COLLEGE BOOKSTORES AND LIBRARIES.
   2. THE TASK FORCE SHALL REPORT NOT LATER THAN JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOU-
 SAND  EIGHTEEN  TO THE BOARD, THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE, ON THEIR
 RECOMMENDATIONS ON ENHANCING ACCESS TO TEXTBOOKS  AND  THEIR  COSTS  AND
 METHOD OF DELIVERY, WHICH SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   A.  SUPPORTING  EFFICIENT  USED BOOK, BUYBACK AND STUDENT PEER TO PEER
 SALES;
   B. WAYS TO EXPAND AND ENHANCE TEXTBOOK RENTAL PROGRAMS;
   C. WAYS TO PROMOTE THE GREATER DEVELOPMENT, ADOPTION, DEPLOYMENT,  AND
 USE  OF  OPEN  ACCESS  TEXTBOOKS  IN  BOTH DIGITAL AND PRINT FORMATS FOR
 STUDENTS AND FACULTY IN FISCALLY SUSTAINABLE WAYS;
   D. HOW TO INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY AND USE OF DIGITAL  TEXTBOOKS  AND
 LEARNING OBJECTS FOR FACULTY AND STUDENTS;
   E.  HOW  THE  USE  OF ADVANCE PRINT ON DEMAND TECHNOLOGIES CAN PROVIDE
 STUDENTS MORE CHOICES AND LOWER THE COST OF COURSE MATERIALS;
   F. WAYS IN WHICH THE COST OF COMMERCIAL DIGITAL CONTENT COULD BE  MADE
 MORE AFFORDABLE;
   G.  HOW  COLLABORATION BETWEEN TEXTBOOK PUBLISHERS, COLLEGE BOOKSTORES
 AND LIBRARIES CAN INCREASE CONTENT CHOICES FOR FACULTY AND ENHANCE  COST
 SAVINGS  FOR  STUDENTS, WHILE IMPROVING EFFICIENCIES AND REDUCING DUPLI-
 CATION AT LIBRARIES AND BOOKSTORES THROUGH THE REVIEW OF PRIMARY  SOURCE
 CONTENT  COLLECTIONS,  SUBSCRIPTIONS,  COURSE  PACKAGES, E-RESERVES, AND
 COPYRIGHT;
   H. WHAT GUIDELINES SHOULD EXIST, IF ANY, FOR FACULTY WHO MAY  WISH  TO
 EXPLORE  ALTERNATIVES  TO  TRADITIONAL TEXTBOOKS THROUGH THE USE OF OPEN
 ACCESS, PRINT ON DEMAND, DIGITAL, AND OTHER CONTENT AND FORMATS;
   I. OTHER APPROACHES TO  MAKE  COURSE  MATERIALS  MORE  AFFORDABLE  FOR
 STUDENTS; AND
   J.  AN  EVALUATION  OF  EACH RECOMMENDATION AS IT RELATES TO THE LEGAL
 MANDATE OF PROVIDING FULL AND EQUAL ACCESS TO  STUDENTS  WITH  DISABILI-
 TIES.
   3.  THE  TRUSTEES  SHALL MAKE AVAILABLE TO THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE SUCH
 INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO  ENABLE  THE  ADVISORY
 COMMITTEE TO CARRY OUT ITS FUNCTIONS.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.