Bill Text: NY A05914 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Reduces the cost of textbooks and course materials for students of institutions of higher education by requiring every institution of higher education to adopt policies that allow the use of innovative pricing techniques and payment options for textbooks, supplemental materials, and other course materials or textbooks.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 18-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-08 - referred to higher education [A05914 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-A05914-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                          5914
                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions
                   IN ASSEMBLY
                                    February 20, 2019
                                       ___________
        Introduced by M. of A. HYNDMAN, SIMOTAS, DICKENS, VANEL, D'URSO, ARROYO,
          RAMOS, SANTABARBARA -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. LUPARDO, PICHAR-
          DO,  RICHARDSON,  RODRIGUEZ,  SIMON  --  read once and referred to the
          Committee on Higher Education
        AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to reducing the  cost  of
          textbooks for students of institutions of higher education
          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
     1    Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 725 to
     2  read as follows:
     3    § 725. Reduction of cost of textbooks and course materials.  1.  Every
     4  institution of higher education as defined in this article is authorized
     5  to  adopt  policies  that allow the use of innovative pricing techniques
     6  and payment options for textbooks,  supplemental  materials,  and  other
     7  course materials or textbooks in accordance with 34 CFR 668.164(c)(2).
     8    2.  Policies  adopted  pursuant to subdivision one of this section may
     9  include, but are not limited to, bulk pricing arrangements  that  enable
    10  students to purchase textbooks or other instructional materials that are
    11  delivered:  (a) digitally; (b) through technology that is required to be
    12  used within a course; or (c) in print format.
    13    3. Innovative pricing techniques and payment options adopted  pursuant
    14  to this section shall include an opt-out provision for students.
    15    4.  Innovative pricing techniques and payment options adopted pursuant
    16  to this section shall be adopted only if there  is  documented  evidence
    17  that  the  proposed  options  would  result  in  the  textbooks or other
    18  instructional materials  being  made  available  to  students  at  below
    19  competitive market rates.
    20    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD04944-01-9