HB1478: Textbook sales at public institutions of higher education.

Chief Patron

Del. Glenn Oder (R-94)

Glenn Oder (R-94)
Newport News, VA
Served: 2002–

Progress

	Introduced
	Passed Committee
	Passed House
	Passed Senate
	Signed by Governor
	Became Law

Status

04/04/2006: signed by governor

View Entire History

Summary

Textbook sales at public institutions of higher education.  Requires the governing boards of public institutions of higher education to implement policies, procedures, and guidelines that encourage efforts to minimize the cost of textbooks for students at colleges and universities while maintaining the quality of education and academic freedom. The guidelines must ensure (i) that faculty textbook adoptions are made with sufficient lead time to university- or contract-managed bookstores so as to confirm availability of the requested materials and, where possible, ensure maximum availability of used textbooks; (ii) that, in the textbook adoption process, the intent to use all items ordered, particularly each individual item sold as part of a bundled package, is affirmatively confirmed by the faculty member before the adoption is finalized.  If the faculty member does not intend to use each item in the bundled package, he must notify the bookstore, and the bookstore must order the individualized items when their procurement is cost effective for both institutions and students and such items are made available by the publisher; (iii) that faculty members affirmatively acknowledge the bookstore's quoted retail price of textbooks selected for use in each course; (iv) that faculty be encouraged to limit their use of new edition textbooks when previous editions do not significantly differ in a substantive way as determined by the appropriate faculty member, and (v) that the establishment of policies must include provisions for the availability of required textbooks to students otherwise unable to afford the cost. The measure further provides that no funds for financial aid from university bookstore revenue may be counted in the calculation for state appropriations for student financial aid.   View Full Text »