Bill > SB915

This bill establishes a textbook affordability pilot program administered by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) at a public institution of higher education. The program aims to reduce textbook costs for students by encouraging the use of affordable alternatives like electronic textbooks, which are digital versions of traditional books, and open-source textbooks, which are free to download and use. An "eligible institution" is defined as a university with over 18,000 undergraduate students and a college bookstore, which is a bookstore operated by or affiliated with the university. The THECB will select one eligible institution to participate, designating a specific academic department within that institution to implement the program by prioritizing free or low-cost materials. This department will track textbook costs and notify the college bookstore of adopted materials, which will then inform the department of anticipated student costs. The THECB is required to report on the pilot program's success by December 1, 2018, comparing textbook costs in the participating department to those in similar departments at other institutions. The program is set to expire on September 1, 2019, and the pilot program is to begin with the 2015-2016 academic year.