NY State Senate Bill 2023-S7954

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Higher Education Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 04, 2024	referred to higher education

2023-S7954 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Higher Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Add §716, Ed L
Versions Introduced in 2021-2022 Legislative Session:: S9109

2023-S7954 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to enacting the "free resources for equitable education (FREE) act"; requires State University of New York higher education institutions to designate all general education and 25 percent of all major specific courses as low textbook cost (LTC) or zero textbook cost (ZTC).

2023-S7954 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S7954

SPONSOR: PARKER
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to enacting the "free
resources for equitable education (FREE) act"

 
PURPOSE:

The purpose of this bill is,to lower one of the largest ancillary costs
associated with pursuing higher education, while ensuring that assigned
texts paid for are a necessity to students' education.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of the bill names the bill the "free resources for equitable
education (FREE) act".provides key definitions.

Section 2 provides key definitions and establishes the institution
impacted by this Act as SUNY schools and the mentioned designations
necessary to enacting the bill as Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) and Low Text-

book Cost (LTC).

Section 2, subsection 3 of the bill states the percentage of all major
specific classes mandated to have Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) and Low Text-
book Cost (LTC)designation.

Section 2, subsection 4 of the bill renders all deciding power outside
of the provisions within the FREE Act to remain with the institution.

Section 2, subsection 5 ensures that knowledge of the FREE Act is widely
and readily accessible to all students and counteracts any means by
which a student may face any form of passive or active retaliation
utilizing the FREE Act.

Section 2, subsection 6 relates to institutions not retroactively
increasing costs of textbooks through distributive means and enacting
the Act with means of good faith, while prioritizing the needs of all
students.

Section 3 of the bill relates to the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

This bill is important because it lowers one of the most expensive
ancillary costs associated with attending college. Making the cost of
readings and textbooks in general education courses little to none
ensures that students are not spending excessive amounts of money on
classes that may have nothing to do with their intended major or that
they are only taking to satisfy certain requirements for graduation.  It
will also require SUNY to do an overhaul of the current texts they
assign in general education classes curricula. It will also allow for
review of the texts assigned in major specific classes to make sure that
they are the most up to date and pertinent to the curriculum content.
Making 25% of all major specific classes have Low Textbook Cost (LTC) or
Zero Textbook Cost designation (ZTC) also lowers the costs for students
who will likely be taking major specific classes for at least 2 years
and since many texts assigned in classes are not interchangeable it
helps them to save money. Furthermore, it also acts as an equalizer for
SUNY students to operate solely based on their academic potential, rath-
er than within limitations stemming from socioeconomic background.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2021-22: S9109 - Referred to Education

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it
shall have become a law; provided, however, the amendments to article
15-B of the education law made by section two of this act shall not
affect the repeal of such article and shall be deemed repealed there-
with.

2023-S7954 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7954
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              January 4, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation  to  enacting  the  "free
   resources for equitable education (FREE) act"
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. This act shall be known and  may  be  cited  as  the  "free
 resources for equitable education (FREE) act".
   §  2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 716 to read
 as follows:
   § 716. FREE RESOURCES FOR EQUITABLE EDUCATION (FREE) ACT. 1.  AS  USED
 IN  THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS,
 UNLESS REFERENCED OTHERWISE:
   (A) "GENERAL EDUCATION" REFERS  TO  COURSES  WHICH  DO  NOT  EXPRESSLY
 SATISFY MAJOR SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS, INCLUDING PRE-REQUISITE COURSES;
   (B)  "INSTITUTIONS  OF HIGHER EDUCATION" MEANS THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF
 NEW YORK OR INSTITUTIONS RECOGNIZED AND APPROVED BY THE REGENTS  OF  THE
 UNIVERSITY  OF  THE  STATE  OF NEW YORK, WHICH PROVIDE A COURSE OF STUDY
 LEADING TO THE GRANTING OF A POST-SECONDARY DEGREE OR DIPLOMA;
   (C) "LOW TEXTBOOK COST (LTC)" MEANS THE DESIGNATION ASSIGNED TO COURS-
 ES TO DEMONSTRATE THAT REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS DO NOT COST  MORE  THAN  FORTY
 DOLLARS;
   (D) "MAJOR SPECIFIC" REFERS TO ANY COURSE THAT IS CONSIDERED EXPRESSLY
 NECESSARY  TO  THE  CONTINUED  DEVELOPMENT AND TEACHINGS OF KEY CONCEPTS
 WITHIN A GIVEN MAJOR;
   (E) "TEXTBOOK" MEANS ANY TEXTBOOK THAT IS ADOPTED FOR USE IN  A  GIVEN
 COURSE,  AS  DETERMINED  BY  THE PRESIDING FACULTY OR FACULTY MEMBERS OR
 ENTITY CHARGED WITH SELECTING SUCH TEXTBOOKS; AND
   (F) "ZERO TEXTBOOK COST  (ZTC)"  MEANS  THE  DESIGNATION  ASSIGNED  TO
 COURSES  TO  DEMONSTRATE  THAT  IT  DOES NOT REQUIRE THE PURCHASE OF ANY
 TEXTBOOK.
   2. ALL GENERAL EDUCATION COURSES OFFERED BY AN INSTITUTION  OF  HIGHER
 EDUCATION IN WHICH TEXTBOOKS ARE ASSIGNED BY A PROFESSOR OR OTHER FACUL-
 TY MEMBER SHALL HAVE A ZTC OR LTC DESIGNATION.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD03079-01-3
 S. 7954                             2
 
   3.  TWENTY-FIVE  PERCENT  OF  ALL MAJOR SPECIFIC COURSES OFFERED BY AN
 INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN WHICH TEXTBOOKS  ARE  ASSIGNED  BY  A
 PROFESSOR OR OTHER FACULTY MEMBER SHALL HAVE A ZTC OR LTC DESIGNATION.
   4.  INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION SHALL DETERMINE WHICH COURSES AND
 THE CORRESPONDING TEXTBOOKS ARE DESIGNATED ZTC OR LTC.
   5. ZTC AND LTC DESIGNATIONS SHALL BE CLEARLY VISIBLE AND EASILY ACCES-
 SIBLE BY STUDENTS IN ANY COURSE INFORMATION MATERIALS OR COURSE  ENROLL-
 MENT  SYSTEM.  IF  A COURSE DESIGNATION CHANGES FOR ANY REASON, STUDENTS
 SHALL BE ALLOWED TO SECURE AN APPROPRIATE REPLACEMENT COURSE OR  DISCON-
 TINUE ANY COURSE WITHOUT ANY FINANCIAL OR OTHER INSTITUTIONAL PENALTY.
   6.  INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION SHALL INSTITUTE THIS SECTION IN A
 MANNER THAT DOES NOT REDISTRIBUTE THE FINANCIAL COST  OF  SUCH  TEXTBOOK
 DESIGNATIONS  ON  STUDENTS  INCLUDING  BUT NOT LIMITED TO ASSIGNING MORE
 TEXTBOOKS IN OTHER COURSES OR INCREASING TUITION OR STUDENTS' FEES.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
 it shall have become a law; provided, however, the amendments to article
 15-B of the education law made by section two  of  this  act  shall  not
 affect  the  repeal  of such article and shall be deemed repealed there-
 with.

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Senate Bill S7954

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Higher Education Committee

2023-S7954 (ACTIVE) - Details

2023-S7954 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2023-S7954 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S7954 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S7954

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Sponsored By

Kevin S. Parker

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Higher Education Committee

2023-S7954 (ACTIVE) - Details

2023-S7954 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2023-S7954 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S7954 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments