Sacramento, CA – College students in California have found an ally in the Assembly Higher Education Committee in the attempt to bring down the prices of their textbooks.

On a 5-2 vote today, the Assembly Higher Education Committee passed AB 1548 (the Transparency in College Textbook Publishing Practices Act), introduced by Assemblyman Jose Solorio (D-Anaheim).

“This bill does not prohibit textbooks publishers from profiting—it simply requires transparency of textbook information.  If there is nothing wrong, there should be nothing to hide,” said Assemblyman Solorio, who held a press conference at the state Capitol today prior to the committee vote.

“I am gratified that we have taken the first step toward protecting the students who represent the future of California.  Too many of our students face tremendous financial obstacles to higher education, including the costs of textbooks.  AB 1548 will create the transparency that students need to make good textbook purchasing decisions in a time of rapidly increasing prices,” said Assemblyman Solorio.

The bill would prohibit the sale of any textbook on a public university campus until certain transparency requirements are met by the publishers, including disclosure of:

• the price difference between bundled textbooks and the same unbundled textbooks
• the substantive differences between new editions and prior editions of textbooks
• estimates of how long new editions of textbooks will remain in print
• any compensation provided to faculty or administrators as inducement to adopt particular textbooks for university courses

California college students currently spend an average of nearly $1,000 per year on textbooks.  According to a 2005 report by the General Accounting Office (GAO), college textbook prices have increased by 186% between 1986 and 2004—nearly triple the rate of inflation over the same period.  And most faculty report rarely using bundled textbooks (i.e. books shrink-wrapped with CD ROMs and workbooks) in their courses, which are more expensive than unbundled textbooks.

The bill, which is sponsored by the Greenlining Institute, now moves to the Assembly Judiciary Committee.  The Greenlining Institute is a multi-ethnic public policy, research and advocacy center.
Assemblyman Jose Solorio represents the Sixty-Ninth Assembly District, which includes the cities of Anaheim, Garden Grove, and Santa Ana.  For more information about Assemblyman Solorio you can visit www.assembly.ca.gov/solorio.