Bill > H1076

This bill establishes a special commission, appointed by the governor and composed of 15 members representing various stakeholders including legislative leaders, higher education officials, textbook publishers, faculty, librarians, and students, to study and investigate the college textbook industry with the goal of reducing costs for students. The commission's work will involve examining the expenses associated with textbooks and study materials, exploring options for lower-cost alternatives like softcover, one-color, and digital texts, evaluating the use of E-textbooks, analyzing the cost implications of textbook editions, encouraging colleges to implement buy-back and book swap programs, and improving the availability of comparative textbook information for faculty and students. The commission is tasked with reporting its findings and any proposed legislation to the general court by December 31, 2009.