Legislation

California Legislators Support Open Educational Resources!

California Legislative Information

This bill requires each campus of the California Community Colleges and the California State University to prominently display the estimated costs for each course of all required course materials and fees directly related to those materials, for no less than an annually increasing percentage, up to 75% by January 1, 2028, of the total number of courses on the online campus course schedule for which a faculty member or course instructor has been assigned.
The bill would define, for purposes of this requirement, “course materials” to include digital or physical textbooks, devices such as calculators and remote attendance platforms, and software subscriptions.

Implementation Strategies for Tagging Course Schedules for Zero Cost Textbooks (May 2017)

This bill requires that the CSU and CCC clearly highlight, by means that may include a symbol or logo in a conspicuous place on the online campus course schedule, the courses that exclusively use digital course materials that are free of charge to students and may have a low-cost option for print versions.
Clearly communicate to students that the course materials used for the courses identified are free of charge and therefore not required to be purchased.

SB 1359: Implementation Requirements and Issues (June 2017)

The goal of College Textbook Affordability Act of 2015 (AB 798) is to save college students money by empowering professors and local campuses to adopt high quality, free and open educational resources for courses materials. Assemblywoman Bonilla (sponsor of AB 798) recognized that free and open educational resources can reduce the total cost of education for students and their families in California's higher education institutions.
Click here for more information on the implementation of AB 798.
AB 798 FAQs This link will take you to an external website in a new tab.
AB 798 Coordinators’ Resources This link will take you to an external website in a new tab.

On January 1, 2013, California legislation was enacted which directed the California Community Colleges (CCC), the California State University (CSU), and the University of California (UC) Intersegmental Council of Academic Senates (ICAS) to establish the California Open Education Resource Council through Senate Bill (SB) 1052 This link will take you to an external website in a new tab.and directed the CSU to establish the California Digital Open Source Library (CDOSL) through SB 1053 This link will take you to an external website in a new tab.. The bills were authored by Senator Darryl Steinberg and established the goal of making higher education in California more affordable by providing faculty and students access to free and lower-cost instructional materials. The CSU was also designated as the administrator of the state matching funds in accordance to SB 1028 (in SEC. 5, Section 69999.6) This link will take you to an external website in a new tab..
Click here for more information.
California Open Online Library (COOL4Ed.org)

U.S. Department of Education

The Higher Education Opportunities Act (HEOA) is a federal law requiring higher education institutions to communicate the price of course materials to students at the time of registration. Complying with the HEOA requirements is a condition for the CSU receiving student financial aid from the Federal Government.
HEOA in the CSU.