Bill > HB967

This bill, the Textbook Cost Savings Act of 2017, establishes it as the policy of the state of Maryland that all students have access to high-quality, low-cost learning materials and resources. It requires the Governor to include $100,000 in the state budget for fiscal year 2019 to provide a grant to the William E. Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation at the University System of Maryland for the Maryland Open Source Textbook Initiative. The funds can be used to support the adoption, adaptation, and creation of openly licensed educational resources to reduce students' cost of attendance while maintaining or improving learning outcomes, reimburse expenses related to the Initiative, and reimburse funds expended in fiscal year 2018 for similar purposes. The bill also requires the Kirwan Center and the State Department of Education to explore jointly the possibility of providing all students in primary and secondary education with high-quality, low-cost learning materials and resources such as openly licensed educational resources, and to submit reports to the Governor and General Assembly on their progress and findings.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB0967?ys=2017rs