103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB5494

 

Introduced 2/9/2024, by Rep. Kimberly Du Buclet

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
110 ILCS 167/15 new

    Amends the Public Higher Education Act. Provides that a public institution of higher education shall display the estimated costs of all required course materials and directly related course fees for no less than 75% of the total number of for-credit courses offered by the public institution of higher education. Sets forth provisions regarding the information to be displayed. Provides that the Board of Higher Education, in consultation with relevant stakeholders and any other interested party identified by the Board of Higher Education, shall adopt, by rule, a list of incidental items that are not required to be reported. Provides that by December 31, 2025, the Board of Higher Education shall submit a report to the General Assembly that details how each public institution of higher education is ensuring compliance with these provisions. Provides that a public institution of higher education shall timely provide to the Board of Higher Education any information that the Board of Higher Education determines is necessary to submit the required report. Provides for rulemaking. Effective immediately.


LRB103 36949 RJT 67063 b

STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT
MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB5494LRB103 36949 RJT 67063 b

1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Public Higher Education Act is amended by
5adding Section 15 as follows:
 
6    (110 ILCS 167/15 new)
7    Sec. 15. Course cost disclosure.
8    (a) In this Section:
9    "Relevant stakeholders" means representatives from public
10institutions of higher education, faculty from public
11institutions of higher education, students enrolled at public
12institutions of higher education, and campus bookstores
13affiliated with public institutions of higher education.
14    (b) A public institution of higher education shall
15display, as provided in this Section, the estimated costs of
16all required course materials and directly related course fees
17for no less than 75% of the total number of for-credit courses
18offered by the public institution of higher education. The
19display of information required by this subsection (b) shall:
20        (1) be displayed before course registration begins;
21        (2) include the title and, if available, the
22    International Standard Book Number for each book required
23    for a course; and

 

 

HB5494- 2 -LRB103 36949 RJT 67063 b

1        (3) appear in the published course schedule that is
2    provided on the Internet or is otherwise provided to
3    students at the time course registration begins for
4    students, including on any affiliated campus bookstore
5    course materials list that may be provided for a course.
6    (c) The display of information required by subsection (b)
7of this Section shall apply only to courses for the next
8non-summer academic term, regardless of whether a public
9institution of higher education permits students to
10simultaneously register for successive terms.
11    (d) The Board of Higher Education, in consultation with
12relevant stakeholders and any other interested party
13identified by the Board of Higher Education, shall adopt, by
14rule, a list of incidental items that are not required to be
15reported under subsection (b) of this Section.
16    (e) In determining which courses a public institution of
17higher education is not required to provide information for
18under this Section, a public institution of higher education
19shall prioritize not providing information for a course in
20which:
21        (1) the instructor of the course either has changed
22    since the last time the course was taught or will be hired
23    after the deadline for displaying information under
24    paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of this Section; or
25        (2) the instructor of the course has determined that
26    previously used course materials are no longer effective

 

 

HB5494- 3 -LRB103 36949 RJT 67063 b

1    in delivering the necessary educational outcomes for the
2    course.
3    (f) In order to ensure compliance with federal law
4requirements regarding timely and accurate course material
5information and affordability, including the federal Higher
6Education Opportunity Act, a public institution of higher
7education shall establish dates by which faculty or
8departments must notify the campus bookstore affiliated with
9the public institution of higher education of required and
10recommended course materials, so that the bookstore may verify
11availability, determine prices, source lower cost options if
12practicable, explore alternatives with faculty if academically
13appropriate, and maximize the availability of format options
14for the course materials that are made available to students.
15    (g) The information that is required to be displayed under
16this Section shall be:
17        (1) secured in a manner determined by the public
18    institution of higher education;
19        (2) aggregated by the campus bookstore affiliated with
20    the public institution higher education; and
21        (3) displayed for public viewing in the published
22    course schedule and in any other method deemed acceptable
23    by the public institution of higher education, in
24    consultation with the faculty, students, and campus
25    bookstores affiliated with the public institution of
26    higher education.

 

 

HB5494- 4 -LRB103 36949 RJT 67063 b

1    (h) The faculty and administration of a public institution
2of higher education are responsible for supplying the
3information required under this Section to the campus
4bookstore affiliated with the public institution of higher
5education according to a process and deadline established by
6the public institution of higher education for each academic
7term.
8    (i) By December 31, 2025, the Board of Higher Education
9shall submit a report to the General Assembly that details how
10each public institution of higher education is ensuring
11compliance with this Section. The Board of Higher Education,
12in consultation with relevant stakeholders, shall, by rule,
13establish metrics to measure compliance with this Section by
14public institutions of higher education. A public institution
15of higher education shall timely provide to the Board of
16Higher Education any information that the Board of Higher
17Education determines is necessary to submit the report
18required under this Section.
19    (j) The Board of Higher Education may adopt any rules
20necessary to carry out its responsibilities under this
21Section.
 
22    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
23becoming law.