Brief Description: Concerning college textbooks.

Sponsors: By House Committee on Higher Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Hasegawa, Jarrett, Wallace, B. Sullivan, Kenney, Hunter, Goodman, Dunshee, Chase, Ormsby, Kelley, Simpson and Blake).

House Committee on Higher Education
Senate Committee on Higher Education

Background:

Legislation enacted in 2006 required the governing boards of the state universities, the regional universities, and The Evergreen State College to work with affiliated bookstores, students, and faculty representatives to adopt rules requiring that affiliated bookstores:

• provide students the option of purchasing unbundled materials when possible;
• disclose the costs of the materials;
• disclose how new editions vary from previous editions; and
• actively promote and publicize book buy-back programs.

The legislation also required the boards to adopt rules requiring faculty and staff members to consider the least costly practices in assigning course materials when educational content is comparable.

Summary:

When presenting marketing materials to a faculty member of an institution of higher education, college textbook publishers must disclose the intended price of their products at the bookstore run by or in a contractual relationship with that institution. The publisher must also disclose the history of revisions to the products.

Votes on Final Passage:

House   93   4
Senate   45   0

Effective: July 22, 2007