Public Act 102-0122
 
HB0332 EnrolledLRB102 10484 CMG 15813 b


  
    AN ACT concerning education.
  
 

    WHEREAS, Postsecondary education is increasingly necessary 
for success in the modern workforce; and


 
    WHEREAS, The affordability of college is an ongoing 
concern for students, families, and State policymakers; and


 
    WHEREAS, The equitable first-day-of-class access to 
effective textbooks and other learning materials plays a 
critical role in a student's postsecondary educational 
experience; and


 
    WHEREAS, Institutions of higher learning within and 
outside of this State are utilizing online educational 
software to enhance and personalize a student's learning 
experience while driving down the costs of attending college; 
therefore,
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
represented in the General Assembly:
  


 
    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the 
College Course Materials Affordability and Equitable Access 
Collaborative Study  Act.
 
    Section 5. College Course Materials Affordability and 
Equitable Access Task Force; membership. 
    (a) The College Course Materials Affordability and 
Equitable Access Task Force is created within the Illinois 
Student Assistance Commission.
    (b) The Task Force shall consist of all of the following 
members:
        (1)  One member of the General Assembly appointed by 
    the President of the Senate.
        (2) One member of the General Assembly appointed by 
    the Minority Leader of the Senate.
        (3) One member of the General Assembly appointed by 
    the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
        (4) One member of the General Assembly appointed by 
    the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.
        (5) One member of the public appointed by the 
    President of the Senate.
        (6) One member of the public appointed by the Minority 
    Leader of the Senate.
        (7) One member of the public appointed by the Speaker 
    of the House of Representatives.
        (8) One member of the public appointed by the Minority 
    Leader of the House of Representatives.
        (9) One member representing an institution of higher 
    learning appointed by the President of the Senate.
        (10) One member representing an institution of higher 
    learning appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate.
        (11) One member representing an institution of higher 
    learning appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
    Representatives.
        (12) One member representing an institution of higher 
    learning appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of 
    Representatives.
        (13) The following members appointed by the Governor:
            (A) One member representing the Board of Higher 
        Education.
            (B) One member representing the Illinois Community 
        College Board.
            (C) One member representing the Illinois Student 
        Assistance Commission.
            (D) One member representing the Faculty Advisory 
        Council of the Board of Higher Education.
            (E) One member representing the Student Advisory 
        Council of the Board of Higher Education.
            (F) One member who is a librarian or online 
        education specialist.
            (G)  One member representing a national association 
        representing the higher education textbook publishing 
        industry.
            (H) One member representing a statewide 
        professional organization that advocates on behalf of 
        public university employees.
            (I) One member representing a statewide 
        professional organization that advocates on behalf of 
        public community college employees.
            (J) One member representing a national association 
        representing higher education book stores in this 
        State.
            (K) One member representing a higher education 
        digital content platform provider with offices located 
        within this State.
    (b) Appointments to the Task Force shall be made within 90 
days after the effective date of this Act.
    (c) The Task Force shall meet initially at the call of the 
Illinois Student Assistance Commission, shall elect a 
chairperson from among the appointed members at the Task 
Force's initial meeting, and shall thereafter meet at the call 
of the chairperson.
    (d) The chairperson and other members of the Task Force 
shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for 
their reasonable and necessary expenses from funds 
appropriated to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission for 
that purpose, including travel, subject to the rules of the 
appropriate travel control board.
 
    Section 10. Illinois Student Assistance Commission 
assistance. 
    (a) The Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall 
provide administrative support, staff support, and other 
resources necessary for the College Course Materials 
Affordability and Equitable Access Task Force to fulfill the 
Task Force's obligations under this Act.
    (b) The Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall 
designate a staff member to serve as a point of contact between 
the Task Force and the public and to serve as a technology and 
policy advisor to assist the Task Force. The Commission shall 
provide a public website or web page for the Task Force to 
publish digital meeting notices, minutes, commentary, draft 
reports, reports, and other relevant documents and information 
online.
 
    Section 15. Meetings. 
    (a)  Meetings of the  College Course Materials Affordability 
and Equitable Access Task Force are subject to the Open 
Meetings Act. The Task Force shall make available to the 
public online meeting notices at least 10 days in advance of 
any Task Force meeting and shall publish meeting minutes that 
are available to the public within 14 days after the meeting to 
allow for structured written and verbal commentary by the 
public throughout the process.
    (b) The Task Force shall establish and maintain a contact 
list of all members of the public who seek to be apprised of 
the work of the Task Force to allow for electronic 
notification, by email or by any other mutually agreed-upon 
method, of Task Force meetings, agendas, minutes, draft 
reports, reports, and other communications regarding the work 
of the Task Force.
    (c) The Task Force may conduct its work remotely via 
telephone and online video broadcasting, including through 
audio and video conferencing applications. The Task Force 
shall allow for public observation and structured 
participation via telephone and online video broadcasting for 
all meetings conducted by the Task Force.
 
    Section 20. Duties. 
    (a) The duties  of the College Course Materials 
Affordability and Equitable Access Task Force are to:
        (1) conduct a collaborative college course materials 
    affordability and equitable access study;
        (2) examine the cost-saving methods and practices 
    utilized by public and private institutions of higher 
    learning in this State and throughout the United States 
    for improving students' equitable first-day-of-class 
    access to required course materials and conduct an 
    affordability comparison of providing students' course 
    materials, including digital learning tools; and
        (3) submit a report of its findings to the Governor, 
    the General Assembly, and the Illinois Student Assistance 
    Commission.
    (b) The report required to be submitted under subsection 
(a) shall include all of the following items:
        (1) A list of cost-saving methods available to 
    students, including, but not limited to:
            (A)  inclusive access programs;
            (B)  textbook subscription programs;
            (C)  textbook rental programs;
            (D)  used textbooks; and
            (E)  other institutional textbook cost-saving 
            methods, such as open educational resources.
        (2) The total amount of cost savings achieved by 
    public and private institutions of higher learning and the 
    total number of students that utilize each cost-saving 
    method.
        (3) The equitable access achieved for students by 
    providing all students with access to course materials on 
    the first day of class.
        (4) The potential impact on academic freedom of 
    faculty to be able to choose the most appropriate 
    materials for their courses for each of the various 
    methods of providing course materials.
        (5) A description of the process required to implement 
    each cost-saving method listed in paragraph (1) of this 
    subsection (b).
        (6) A description of the process by which students 
    obtain required course materials.
        (7) The current, future, and potential costs of the 
    development and maintenance necessary for the utilization 
    of any course material that is provided to students at no 
    charge.
        (8)  The identification of best practices resulting 
    from the cost-saving methods listed in paragraph (1) of 
    this subsection (b).
        (9) An examination of the following areas in relation 
    to improving equity in higher education to determine 
    whether the methods:
            (A)  improved equitable access to required course 
        materials by the first day of class;
            (B) increased the affordability of required course 
        materials; and
            (C)  improved access to learning materials and 
        improved student outcomes for minority, low-income, 
        and first-generation students.
        (10) A description of the ways students and faculty 
    are utilizing or have utilized inclusive access programs, 
    subscription programs, textbook rental programs, used 
    textbooks, and open educational resources for the purposes 
    of remote learning as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic 
    health crisis.
 
    Section 25. Collaboration. As part of the College Course 
Materials Affordability and Equitable Access Task Force's 
information gathering process to prepare its report under 
Section 20, the Task Force shall engage and consult with 
higher education administrators, faculty, campus bookstores, 
publishers, librarians, and other online education specialists 
for their perspectives on the topics covered by this Act.  The 
Task Force may also seek advice and input from such other 
persons and entities as the Task Force finds helpful to its 
work as outlined in this Act.
 
    Section 30. Reporting; dissolution. 
    (a) No later than October 1, 2022, the Task Force shall 
submit an initial collaborative report of its findings to the 
Governor, the General Assembly, and the Illinois Student 
Assistance Commission. The Illinois Student Assistance 
Commission shall  publish the initial collaborative report of 
the Task Force's findings on the Commission's website. Members 
of the public and other interested parties shall have until 
February 1, 2023 to submit written comments with regard to the 
initial collaborative report. The Commission shall publish 
comments submitted by members of the public or other 
interested parties on its website.
    (b) No later than March 31, 2023, the Task Force shall 
submit a final collaborative report of its findings to the 
Governor, the General Assembly, and the Illinois Student 
Assistance Commission. The Illinois Student Assistance 
Commission shall publish the final collaborative report of the 
Task Force's findings on the Commission's website.
    (c) The Task Force is dissolved on March 31, 2024.
 
    Section 90. Repeal. This Act is repealed on March 31, 
2025.
 

    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
becoming law.