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| To enact section 3333.29 of the Revised Code to | 1 |
| create the E-Book Higher Education Task Force and | 2 |
| to require the Chancellor of the Ohio Board of | 3 |
| Regents to implement e-book programs at all state | 4 |
| institutions of higher education. | 5 |
| Section 1. That section 3333.29 of the Revised Code be | 6 |
| enacted to read as follows: | 7 |
| Sec. 3333.29. (A) As used in this section: | 8 |
| (1) "E-book" means computer software, interactive videodisc, | 9 |
| magnetic media, optical media, computer courseware, on-line | 10 |
| service, electronic medium, or other means of conveying | 11 |
| information that is the digital media equivalent of a printed | 12 |
| book. | 13 |
| (2) "State institution of higher education" has the same | 14 |
| meaning as in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code. | 15 |
| (B)(1) There is hereby created the e-book higher education | 16 |
| task force consisting of five members. Within thirty days after | 17 |
| the effective date of this section, the chancellor of the Ohio | 18 |
| board of regents shall appoint members of the public to the task | 19 |
| force. The chancellor shall provide administrative support for the | 20 |
| task force. | 21 |
| (2) The task force shall study and make recommendations on | 22 |
| implementing e-book programs at state institutions of higher | 23 |
| education. By April 1, 2009, the task force shall report its | 24 |
| findings to the chancellor, the governor, the speaker of the house | 25 |
| of representatives, the president of the senate, the minority | 26 |
| leaders of the house of representatives and the senate, the | 27 |
| chairpersons and ranking minority members of the standing | 28 |
| committees of the house of representatives and the senate that | 29 |
| deal with the state budget, and the chairpersons and ranking | 30 |
| minority members of the standing committees of the house of | 31 |
| representatives and the senate committees that deal with | 32 |
| education. | 33 |
| (C) Upon receiving the initial report from the task force, | 34 |
| the chancellor shall begin to implement e-book programs at all | 35 |
| state institutions of higher education, including negotiating | 36 |
| agreements with publishing companies requiring companies to offer | 37 |
| electronic versions, in the form of e-books, of printed books the | 38 |
| companies sell for use by students of state institutions of higher | 39 |
| education. The chancellor shall implement e-book programs at all | 40 |
| state institutions of higher education by July 1, 2009. | 41 |
| (D) The task force shall reconvene one year after the e-book | 42 |
| programs are implemented to evaluate the programs and report | 43 |
| recommendations for possible improvements. The task force shall | 44 |
| cease to exist after reporting its recommendations under this | 45 |
| division. | 46 |