HF 2730

as introduced - 91st Legislature (2019 - 2020) Posted on 05/02/2019 03:45pm

A bill for an act
relating to higher education; creating programs in the Minnesota State Colleges
and Universities to increase open textbook usage; requiring reports; appropriating
money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 136F.58, subdivision 3, by
adding subdivisions.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 136F.58, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

new text begin Subd. 1a. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the
meanings given.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Custom textbook" means course materials that are compiled by a publisher at the
direction of a faculty member or, if applicable, the other adopting entity in charge of selecting
course materials for courses taught at a state college or university. Custom textbooks may
include items such as selections from original instructor materials, previously copyrighted
publisher materials, copyrighted third-party works, or elements unique to a specific state
college or university.
new text end

new text begin (c) "Incentive" means anything provided to encourage the use of open textbooks,
including but not limited to financial compensation.
new text end

new text begin (d) "Open textbook" means a textbook that is distributed using an open copyright license
that at a minimum allows a student to obtain, retain, reuse, and redistribute the material at
no cost.
new text end

new text begin (e) "System office" means the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system office.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 136F.58, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Notice to purchase.

(a) An instructor or department shall notify a college or
university bookstore of the final order for required and recommended course material at
least 45 days prior to the commencement of the term.

(b) An instructor or department must notify the bookstore, as required in paragraph (a),
if a previous edition of the textbook is acceptable as a substitute textbook for the course.

(c) The bookstore must make reasonable efforts to notify students of the following
information concerning the required and recommended course material at least 30 days
prior to the commencement of the term for which the course material is required including,
but not limited to:

(1) the title, edition, author, and International Standard Book Number (ISBN) of the
course material;

(2) the retail price charged in the college or university bookstore for the course material,
including custom textbooks;

(3) if applicable, whether a previous edition of the textbook is acceptable as required
under this subdivision;

(4) whether the material is available in an alternative format and the cost for the
alternatively formatted material; and

(5) the most recent copyright date of the printed course material and the copyright date
of the most recent prior edition of the course material, if that prior edition is acceptable for
class use.

deleted text begin (d) For purposes of this subdivision, "custom textbooks" means course materials that
are compiled by a publisher at the direction of a faculty member or, if applicable, the other
adopting entity in charge of selecting course materials for courses taught at a state college
or university. Custom textbooks may include items such as selections from original instructor
materials, previously copyrighted publisher materials, copyrighted third-party works, or
elements unique to a specific state college or university.
deleted text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 136F.58, is amended by adding a subdivision to
read:

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Open textbook development. new text end

new text begin (a) The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
must develop a program to expand the use of open textbooks in college and university
courses. The system office must provide opportunities for faculty to identify, review, adapt,
author, and adopt open textbooks. The system office must develop incentives to academic
departments that identify, review, adapt, author, or adopt open textbooks within their
academic programs.
new text end

new text begin (b) The system office, in coordination with faculty bargaining units, must develop a
program that identifies high-enrollment academic programs and provides faculty within the
selected disciplines incentives to jointly adapt or author an open textbook.
new text end

new text begin (c) The programs developed under this subdivision must be implemented pursuant to
faculty collective bargaining agreements that govern academic freedom and textbook choice.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin REPORT.
new text end

new text begin The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities must submit
reports by January 13, 2021, and January 12, 2022, to the chairs and ranking minority
members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over higher education. Each report
must include (1) the number of courses transitioned to using an open textbook resulting
from the programs in Minnesota Statutes, section 136F.58, subdivision 5, and (2) the total
amount of student textbook savings resulting from the transitions.
new text end

Sec. 5. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin $250,000 in fiscal year 2020 and $250,000 in fiscal year 2021 are appropriated from the
general fund to the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities for
administrating the open textbook programs under Minnesota Statutes, section 136F.58,
subdivision 5.
new text end