What's happening
Writing a plain-English summary… Track this bill to get it by email.
Why it matters
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to higher education
- Notice of committee consideration - withdrawn
- Notice of committee consideration - requested
- Referred to higher education
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S557
Title of bill
An act to authorize the trustees of the state university of New York and of the city university of New York to create academic review boards for the review of textbooks sold, purchased or used for academic purposes at all institutions of higher education
Purpose or general idea of bill
Authorizes the trustees of the State University of New York to create an academic review board for the review of textbooks sold, purchased or used for academic purposes.
Read the full memo (604 words)
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 Authorizes and directs the trustees of the State University of New York to create an Academic Review Board (ARB) consisting of twelve full-time faculty members from various SUNY campuses to interact between the publishing industry and the management of independent bookstores to as explore institutionalized textbook costs. Authorizes the ARB to create and mandate cost control policies for the sale and purchase of all textbooks available on all SUNY campuses, in conjunction with the recommendations of the board of trustees and the publishing industry. Requires the publishing industry to justify why they are introducing a new edition of an existing textbook. Establishes an acceptable ceiling cost for a same edition reprint of a book with no changes to the text. Requires publisher~ to mail marketing brochures when promoting textbooks, eliminating the complimentary copies delivered to professors unless requested in advance. Requires the trustees working in conjunction with the ARB to establish all necessary rules and regulations in order to implement the provisions of this act.
Section 2. Authorizes and directs the trustees of the City University of New York to create an Academic Review Board (ARB) consisting of twelve full-time faculty members from various institutions of higher education to interact between the publishing industry and the management of independent bookstores to explore institutionalized textbook costs. Authorizes the ARB to create and mandate cost control policies for the sale and purchase of all textbooks available on all SUNY campuses, in conjunction with the recommendations of the board of trustees and the publishing industry. Requires the publishing industry to justify why they are introducing a new edition of an existing textbook. Establishes an acceptable ceiling cost for a same edition reprint of a book with no changes to the text. Requires publishers to mail marketing brochures when promoting textbooks, eliminating the complimentary copies delivered to professors unless requested in advance. Requires the trustees working in conjunction with the ARB to establish all necessary rules and regulations in order to implement the provisions of this act.
Section 3. Effective Date
Existing law
None
Justification
,To establish an academic review board in the State of University of New York for the review of textbooks sold, purchased or used for academic purposes. A student that is enrolled in an institution of higher education will be placed in a position to purchase a book at full price should the institution no longer offer used, more conveniently priced books. The semester ends and the book, now a semester old has become outdated and therefore dramatically decreasing its value when the student is given no choice but to accept the avoidable but wide margin of financial loss. The Advisory board will negotiate with the publishing industry and bookstores to control the skyrocketing costs of books as well as require all publishing companies to justify why they are introducing a new edition of an existing textbook.
Prior legislative history
2010 S.3104 - Referred to Higher Education/A.5991 Enacting Clause Stricken 2009 S.3104 - Referred to Higher Education/A.5991 - Referred to Higher Education
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.