Bill would lower textbook prices, enable financial aid

The bill is scheduled to go into effect August 28.

By Allie Blood

Published June 4, 2008

Combating the rising price of education, Missouri legislators passed a bill that would require textbook manufacturers to disclose prices to faculty members who will order books for classes.

“The quick passage demonstrates not only the great need for some type of textbook aid for students, but the legislature’s recognition of such a problem,” Ally Walker, newly-appointed Associated Students of the University of Missouri legislative director, said.

Former Legislative Director Craig Stevenson said ASUM student-lobbyists Jonathan Pollmann and Andrew Harman worked to pass the bill, which was proposed by Rep. Jake Zimmerman, D-Olivette.

The bill originated with MSA Senate in an effort to lower textbook prices for students.

“It’s so exciting for a bill to go from MSA Senate to the governor’s desk in less than seven months,” Missouri Students Association Speaker Jonathan Mays stated in an email.

Information regarding price, content revisions, available editions and whether the product is available in any other forms will be given to faculty members upon request, according to the Missouri Senate Web site. Also, this bill allows students to use financial aid, which they may not have been allowed previously for use towards purchasing books.

Walker said ASUM’s hope for students in the coming semester is to make books required for classes not only less expensive, but to make bundles, such as books attached to supplements and CDs, optional, thus lowering costs.

“Students in Fall 2008 should not have to purchase a workbook, CD or other accessory if they don’t wish to,” Walker said.

The bill originated in MSA Senate at the end of October 2007. In February, ASUM joined MSA’s effort by declaring it a legislative priority for 2008, and Zimmerman introduced the bill to the House the next day.

About a month later, the House Higher Education Committee passed the bill with an amendment stating publishers could provide a suggested retail price, rather than wholesale pricing.

In response, MSA passed a bill preferring the original legislation.

In April, the House passed the act, and a week later the Senate Education Committee passed a new substitute bill that took away the retail price option and stated “the price at which the publisher would make the products available to the campus bookstore.”

After Zimmerman negotiated, the Senate passed the amended bill to the House on May 12. Six days later, the House passed the bill.

“The textbook bill goes into effect August 28 pending Governor (Matt) Blunt’s signature,” Mays said. “Its implementation will be an extension of our early adoption campaign from last semester.”

The early adoption campaign encouraged MU faculty to turn textbook orders in on time, which makes them less expensive to order.

MSA passed a bill in April to help streamline pricing of books and, with help from MU Student and Auxiliary Services Director Jeff Zeilenga, will hopefully make textbook pricing a more streamlined process, Mays said.