1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to higher education; establishing an open-access textbook task force; 
1.3 	requiring a plan for improved use of open-access textbooks.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. OPEN-ACCESS TEXTBOOK TASK FORCE.
 1.6 	(a) The Office of Higher Education shall convene an open-access textbook task force 
1.7 	of 11 members to develop a plan for promoting and increasing the use of open-access 
1.8 	textbooks and open-content instructional materials in Minnesota postsecondary institutions 
1.9 	to reduce textbook costs for students. The task force must include broad representation 
1.10 	from Minnesota's postsecondary systems and sectors, including representatives of 
1.11 	postsecondary faculty, administrators, student government leaders, business officers, 
1.12 	and campus bookstores.
1.13 	(b) The task force must develop a plan for presentation to the committees of the 
1.14 	legislature responsible for higher education finance by January 15, 2013. The plan must 
1.15 	be based on the following:
1.16 	(1) an inventory of existing open-access textbooks;
1.17 	(2) a description of undergraduate general courses which would be recommended 
1.18 	for the use of open-access textbooks;
1.19 	(3) a recommended standardized process for reviewing and approving open-access 
1.20 	textbooks;
1.21 	(4) recommendations for encouraging and promoting the use of open-access 
1.22 	textbooks by faculty;
1.23 	(5) identification of barriers to the expanded use of open-access textbooks;
2.1 	(6) strategies for producing and distributing open-access textbooks to ensure that 
2.2 	the textbooks are easily downloaded, accessed, printed, or obtained in a bound format at 
2.3 	reduced or no cost to students;
2.4 	(7) identification of technology security standards necessary to safeguard the use of 
2.5 	open-access textbooks; and
2.6 	(8) identification of new technologies to improve use of open-access textbooks.

2.7 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.