SENATE BILL REPORT
HB 1119
As of March 11, 2021
Title: An act relating to notifying students of courses with low-cost instructional materials and open educational resources at the four-year institutions of higher education.
Brief Description: Notifying students of courses with low-cost instructional materials and open educational resources at the four-year institutions of higher education.
Sponsors: Representatives Jacobsen, Simmons, Young, Graham, Pollet, Leavitt, Dolan and Rule.
Brief History: Passed House: 2/12/21, 96-0.
Committee Activity: Higher Education & Workforce Development: 3/11/21.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Requires public four-year higher education institutions to designate during registration the courses where the materials are $50 or less.
SENATE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Staff: Alicia Kinne-Clawson (786-7407)
Background:

In 2009, the United States Congress passed the Higher Education Opportunity Act which included provisions related to students choice and knowledge about textbooks.  Under the law, institutions of higher education are required to provide lists of assigned textbooks for each course during the registration process.
 
Washington State law requires affiliated college and university bookstores to disclose information on required course materials at least four weeks prior to the start of the class for which the materials are required.  Course material information includes title, author or authors, edition, price, and ISBN.  In 2020, the Legislature required the community and technical colleges to designate on their online course registrations the courses in which the materials cost $50 or less.
Summary of Bill:

The public four-year institutions of higher education must indicate to students during registration whether a course uses open educational resources or low-cost required instructional materials.  A course uses low-cost instructional materials if the entire cost of the required materials equals $50 or less.  If the material costs are not available at the time of registration due to an unassigned faculty member, the cost of the materials must be provided as soon as is feasible.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

PRO:  This is a bill to disclose if there are low cost or open source textbooks available for students.  I worked as an adjunct professor and most of the materials I used were open source materials.  This bill is important to support because for many students paying for tuition is already a huge expense.  This bill would help give students information to better prepare themselves for the costs associated with their courses.  Without this required notice many students would not be aware that this material is available to them.  Lining the shelves of my shelves on campus are dozens are examination copies of textbooks sent by publishers.  The price of these books may range from $100 to $400 for the same class.  This bill would encourage my colleagues to remember that the materials they choose should serve the interests of our students and not the publishers.
Persons Testifying: PRO: Representative Cyndy Jacobsen, Prime Sponsor; Sophie Parker, The Washington Student Association; Jacob Vigdor, University of Washington.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: No one.