H.B.
535
127th General Assembly
(As Introduced)
Reps. Lundy and Hite, Letson, Fende, Dodd, J. McGregor, Huffman, Webster, Slesnick, Okey, R. Hagan, Peterson, Sears, Adams, S. Williams, Ujvagi, Collier, Brown, Goyal, Yuko, Luckie, J. Otterman, B. Williams
BILL SUMMARY
· Creates a five-member E-Book Higher Education Task Force, appointed by the Chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents, to study and make recommendations for e-book programs at state institutions of higher education.
· Requires the Chancellor to implement e-book programs at all state institutions of higher education.
CONTENT AND OPERATION
(R.C. 3333.29(A) and (B))
The bill creates
the E-Book Higher Education Task Force consisting of five members of the public
appointed by the Chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents. The Task Force must study and make
recommendations for e-book programs to be implemented at state institutions of
higher education.[1] For that purpose, the bill defines an
"e-book" as "computer software, interactive videodisc, magnetic
media, optical media, computer courseware, on-line service, electronic medium,
or other means of conveying information that is the digital media equivalent of
a printed book."[2] An e-book program is directed at making
college textbooks and other classroom published materials available to students
through electronic media as an alternative to print media.
The Chancellor must appoint the members within 30 days after the bill's effective date. The Chancellor also must provide administrative support for the Task Force.
The Task Force must report its recommendations by April 1, 2009, to the Chancellor, the Governor, the Speaker of the House, the President of the Senate, the minority leaders of the House and Senate, and the chairpersons and ranking minority members of the House and Senate finance and education committees.
(R.C. 3333.29(C) and (D))
Upon receiving the recommendations of the Task Force, the Chancellor must begin implementing e-book programs at all state institutions of higher education. This implementation must include negotiating contracts with publishers so that they offer electronic versions of the printed books they sell for use by students at those institutions. The programs must be implemented by July 1, 2009.
(R.C. 3333.29(D))
The bill requires the Task Force to reconvene, one year after the e-book programs have been implemented by the Chancellor, to evaluate the programs and make recommendations for possible improvements. Presumably, the Task Force must report these findings to the same persons to whom the initial recommendations were submitted. The bill does not specify a deadline for this report of recommended improvements, but it does assert that, upon reporting these recommendations, the Task Force will cease to exist.
HISTORY
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ACTION |
DATE |
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Introduced |
04-14-08 |
H0535-I-127.doc/jc