St Rep Abel Herrero REGULATING USE OF TEXTBOOKS be used for a period of at least 3 yrs

Good Bill by St Rep Abel Herrero REGULATING USE OF TEXTBOOKS be used for a period of at least 3 yrs
Posted on February 11, 2007 at 04:00:54 AM by Jaime Kenedeno

80R4575 KEL-D

By: Herrero H.B. No. 960







A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT
relating to a policy regulating the use of the textbooks required
for certain courses offered by public institutions of higher
education.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 51.969 to read as follows:
Sec. 51.969. POLICY REGULATING USE OF TEXTBOOKS REQUIRED
FOR CORE CURRICULUM COURSES. (a) In this section:
(1) "Core curriculum" has the meaning assigned by
Section 61.821.
(2) "Governing board" and "institution of higher
education" have the meanings assigned by Section 61.003.
(b) The governing board of each institution of higher
education that offers courses in the core curriculum shall adopt a
policy that regulates the use of the textbooks required for the core
curriculum courses at that institution. The policy:
(1) must encourage a faculty member to teach a core
curriculum course using the same required textbooks and the same
editions of those textbooks to the extent practicable from one
academic year to the next;
(2) must require that, absent good cause for a change
as determined by the governing board on application of the
appropriate faculty member, department, or school, the same
required textbook and textbook edition, or required textbooks and
editions, as applicable, be used for a period of at least three
academic years in a specific section of a core curriculum course or
in a specific core curriculum course that does not have sections,
regardless of how frequently the institution offers the section or
course during that period; and
(3) may provide that, as applied to any specific
section or course, the period described by Subdivision (2) may
include one or more academic years occurring immediately before the
policy takes effect.
(c) Subsection (b)(2) does not apply to a textbook
recommended but not required by the faculty member for a core
curriculum course.
(d) For purposes of Subsection (b)(2), good cause for
changing the textbook requirements for a section or course includes
ensuring that textbooks and textbook editions reflect significant
advances in knowledge or technology affecting the subject matter of
the section or course.
(e) The governing board must determine whether good cause
exists for changing a textbook requirement not later than the 90th
day after the date the application for the change is submitted to
the board by a faculty member, department, or school.
(f) The governing board shall seek advice and comment from
faculty and students at the institution before adopting a policy
under this section.
(g) The governing board shall make the policy available to
the public by publishing the policy in the institution's catalog
and by any other method the board considers appropriate.
(h) The governing board shall file a copy of the policy
adopted under this section, and any amendments to that policy, with
the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2008, for a period of
one or more academic years beginning with the 2008-2009 academic
year, each governing board of an institution of higher education
shall adopt the policy required by Section 51.969, Education Code,
as added by this Act, for that institution, and not later than
August 1, 2008, shall file a copy of the policy with the Texas
Higher Education Coordinating Board.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.