S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9088
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 18, 2018
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  RA -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. BARRON,
   CROUCH, McDONOUGH, OAKS, PICHARDO, RAIA, ROZIC, SKOUFIS --  read  once
   and referred to the Committee on 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
 BOOKS,  TEXTBOOK RENTALS, CUSTOM MATERIALS, THE USE OF OPEN ACCESS TEXT-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD14104-01-8

 A. 9088                             2
 
 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  NINETEEN  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.