1561-S2 AMH STAM MULV 144

2SHB 1561 - H AMD 257

By Representative Stambaugh

NOT ADOPTED 03/06/2017

    Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:

    "NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that the cost of textbooks is a barrier to higher education for many students. The state board for community and technical colleges through the open course library, and universities around the country through various open educational resources programs, have achieved significant cost savings for students. It is the intent of the legislature to create a pilot grant program to reduce costs for college students by supporting the public, four-year institutions of higher education in promoting, adapting, and creating open educational resources.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  (1) Beginning in the 2017-18 academic year, the Washington open educational resources pilot grant program is established within the student achievement council to create a competitive grant program for the public four-year institutions of higher education to promote, adapt, and create open educational resources and reduce students' costs of attendance.

    (2) Subject to funds appropriated specifically for this purpose, the student achievement council shall award up to six grants, each up to one hundred thousand dollars, for the purpose of promoting the development, adaptation, and use of open educational resources. The student achievement council shall develop a process for reviewing and selecting grant applications.

    (3) The student achievement council shall report to the appropriate committees of the legislature by November 1, 2019, on:

    (a) Which public four-year institutions of higher education received the grants;

    (b) How the grant money was used to promote and expand the use of open educational resources; and

    (c) An estimated cost savings to students as a result of the grants.

    (4) This section expires June 30, 2020.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  If specific funding for the purposes of this act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is not provided by June 30, 2017, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and void."

    Correct the title.

EFFECT:   Strikes the provisions in the underlying bill and replaces it with provisions from House Bill 1768, which includes the following:

· an intent section on the high costs of textbooks and the costs savings achieved for students through the use of open educational resources programs;

· the Washington Open Educational Resources Pilot Grant Program, which requires the Student Achievement Council to administer the program and provide up to six competitive grants to the public four-year institutions of higher education, each up to one hundred thousand dollars, to develop, adapt, and use open educational resources;

· A report from the Student Achievement Council on the grant program results due November 1, 2019; and

· a null and void clause.

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