HB0332eng 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB0332 Engrossed LRB102 10484 CMG 15813 b

AN ACT concerning education.

WHEREAS, Postsecondary education is increasingly necessary for success in the modern workforce; and

WHEREAS, The affordability of college is an ongoing concern for students, families, and State policymakers; and

WHEREAS, The equitable first-day-of-class access to effective textbooks and other learning materials plays a critical role in a student's postsecondary educational experience; and

WHEREAS, Institutions of higher learning within and outside of this State are utilizing online educational software to enhance and personalize a student's learning experience while driving down the costs of attending college; therefore,

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the College Course Materials Affordability and Equitable Access Collaborative Study Act.

Section 5. College Course Materials Affordability and Equitable Access Task Force; membership.

(a) The College Course Materials Affordability and Equitable Access Task Force is created within the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.

(b) The Task Force shall consist of all of the following members:

(1) One member of the General Assembly appointed by the President of the Senate.

(2) One member of the General Assembly appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate.

(3) One member of the General Assembly appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(4) One member of the General Assembly appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

(5) One member of the public appointed by the President of the Senate.

(6) One member of the public appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate.

(7) One member of the public appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(8) One member of the public appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

(9) One member representing an institution of higher learning appointed by the President of the Senate.

(10) One member representing an institution of higher learning appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate.

(11) One member representing an institution of higher learning appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(12) One member representing an institution of higher learning appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

(13) The following members appointed by the Governor:

(A) One member representing the Board of Higher Education.

(B) One member representing the Illinois Community College Board.

(C) One member representing the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.

(D) One member representing the Faculty Advisory Council of the Board of Higher Education.

(E) One member representing the Student Advisory Council of the Board of Higher Education.

(F) One member who is a librarian or online education specialist.

(G) One member representing a national association representing the higher education textbook publishing industry.

(H) One member representing a statewide professional organization that advocates on behalf of public university employees.

(I) One member representing a statewide professional organization that advocates on behalf of public community college employees.

(J) One member representing a national association representing higher education book stores in this State.

(K) One member representing a higher education digital content platform provider with offices located within this State.

(b) Appointments to the Task Force shall be made within 90 days after the effective date of this Act.

(c) The Task Force shall meet initially at the call of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, shall elect a chairperson from among the appointed members at the Task Force's initial meeting, and shall thereafter meet at the call of the chairperson.

(d) The chairperson and other members of the Task Force shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for their reasonable and necessary expenses from funds appropriated to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission for that purpose, including travel, subject to the rules of the appropriate travel control board.

Section 10. Illinois Student Assistance Commission assistance.

(a) The Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall provide administrative support, staff support, and other resources necessary for the College Course Materials Affordability and Equitable Access Task Force to fulfill the Task Force's obligations under this Act.

(b) The Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall designate a staff member to serve as a point of contact between the Task Force and the public and to serve as a technology and policy advisor to assist the Task Force. The Commission shall provide a public website or web page for the Task Force to publish digital meeting notices, minutes, commentary, draft reports, reports, and other relevant documents and information online.

Section 15. Meetings.

(a) Meetings of the College Course Materials Affordability and Equitable Access Task Force are subject to the Open Meetings Act. The Task Force shall make available to the public online meeting notices at least 10 days in advance of any Task Force meeting and shall publish meeting minutes that are available to the public within 14 days after the meeting to allow for structured written and verbal commentary by the public throughout the process.

(b) The Task Force shall establish and maintain a contact list of all members of the public who seek to be apprised of the work of the Task Force to allow for electronic notification, by email or by any other mutually agreed-upon method, of Task Force meetings, agendas, minutes, draft reports, reports, and other communications regarding the work of the Task Force.

(c) The Task Force may conduct its work remotely via telephone and online video broadcasting, including through audio and video conferencing applications. The Task Force shall allow for public observation and structured participation via telephone and online video broadcasting for all meetings conducted by the Task Force.

Section 20. Duties.

(a) The duties of the College Course Materials Affordability and Equitable Access Task Force are to:

(1) conduct a collaborative college course materials affordability and equitable access study;

(2) examine the cost-saving methods and practices utilized by public and private institutions of higher learning in this State and throughout the United States for improving students' equitable first-day-of-class access to required course materials and conduct an affordability comparison of providing students' course materials, including digital learning tools; and

(3) submit a report of its findings to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.

(b) The report required to be submitted under subsection (a) shall include all of the following items:

(1) A list of cost-saving methods available to students, including, but not limited to:

(A) inclusive access programs;

(B) textbook subscription programs;

(C) textbook rental programs;

(D) used textbooks; and

(E) other institutional textbook cost-saving methods, such as open educational resources.

(2) The total amount of cost savings achieved by public and private institutions of higher learning and the total number of students that utilize each cost-saving method.

(3) The equitable access achieved for students by providing all students with access to course materials on the first day of class.

(4) The potential impact on academic freedom of faculty to be able to choose the most appropriate materials for their courses for each of the various methods of providing course materials.

(5) A description of the process required to implement each cost-saving method listed in paragraph (1) of this subsection (b).

(6) A description of the process by which students obtain required course materials.

(7) The current, future, and potential costs of the development and maintenance necessary for the utilization of any course material that is provided to students at no charge.

(8) The identification of best practices resulting from the cost-saving methods listed in paragraph (1) of this subsection (b).

(9) An examination of the following areas in relation to improving equity in higher education to determine whether the methods:

(A) improved equitable access to required course materials by the first day of class;

(B) increased the affordability of required course materials; and

(C) improved access to learning materials and improved student outcomes for minority, low-income, and first-generation students.

(10) A description of the ways students and faculty are utilizing or have utilized inclusive access programs, subscription programs, textbook rental programs, used textbooks, and open educational resources for the purposes of remote learning as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic health crisis.

Section 25. Collaboration. As part of the College Course Materials Affordability and Equitable Access Task Force's information gathering process to prepare its report under Section 20, the Task Force shall engage and consult with higher education administrators, faculty, campus bookstores, publishers, librarians, and other online education specialists for their perspectives on the topics covered by this Act. The Task Force may also seek advice and input from such other persons and entities as the Task Force finds helpful to its work as outlined in this Act.

Section 30. Reporting; dissolution.

(a) No later than October 1, 2022, the Task Force shall submit an initial collaborative report of its findings to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission. The Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall publish the initial collaborative report of the Task Force's findings on the Commission's website. Members of the public and other interested parties shall have until February 1, 2023 to submit written comments with regard to the initial collaborative report. The Commission shall publish comments submitted by members of the public or other interested parties on its website.

(b) No later than March 31, 2023, the Task Force shall submit a final collaborative report of its findings to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission. The Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall publish the final collaborative report of the Task Force's findings on the Commission's website.

(c) The Task Force is dissolved on March 31, 2024.

Section 90. Repeal. This Act is repealed on March 31, 2025.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.