Senate Passes "Textbook Affordability Act"

The Senate gave final approval Wednesday to a bill that would require the state's colleges to provide students information about the price of required textbooks and the amount of time expected to go by before the publisher revises the textbook.

SB 73 was approved on a 31-4 vote, with Republicans Bill Cadman of Colorado Springs, Nancy Spence of Centennial, and Tom Wiens of Castle Rock and Democrat Suzanne Williams of Aurora opposing it.

The measure now moves over to the House, where it is sponsored by Rep. John Kefalas, D-Fort Collins.

The Senate sponsor is Sen. Ron Tupa, D-Boulder.

Committee Okays Cheap Textbooks Bill

The Senate Education Committee unanimously approved Thursday a bill that would require textbook publishers to disclose the price of textbooks to professors before the professor designates the books as required learning materials in college courses.

SB 73, which is sponsored by Sen. Ron Tupa, D-Boulder, and Rep. John Kefalas, D-Fort Collins, was approved after a group of students from colleges up and down the Front Range spoke in support of it. Among those testifying in favor of the bill was Gov. Bill Ritter's son, August. The students reported paying between $600 and $700 per semester for textbooks.

The bill now goes to the House floor.