H.R. 3512, The College Textbook Affordability and Transparency Act of 2007

• This item is from the 110th Congress (2007-2008) and is no longer current. Comments, voting, and wiki editing have been disabled, and the cost/savings estimate has been frozen.

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H.R. 3512 would ensure that college textbooks and supplemental materials are available and affordable.

Detailed Summary

College Textbook Affordability and Transparency Act of 2007 - Requires publishers informing teachers at institutions of higher education about available textbooks or supplements to include written information concerning: (1) the price the publisher would charge the bookstore associated with such institution for such items; (2) the full history of revisions for such items; and (3) whether such items are available in other formats, including paperback and unbound, and the price the publisher would charge the bookstore for items in those formats.

Requires a publisher that sells a textbook and any accompanying supplement as a single bundled item also to sell them as separately priced and unbundled items.

Directs federally-assisted institutions of higher education to include on printed or internet course schedules the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) and retail price for each required or recommended textbook or supplement for listed courses. Requires an institution to: (1) use the author and title if the ISBN is unavailable; and (2) indicate that the required information has yet to be determined if its disclosure for a course is impractical.

Requires such institutions to provide sellers of textbooks (other than publishers) that meet their requirements with: (1) their course schedules for the subsequent academic period; (2) the information this Act requires to be placed on each course schedule regarding each textbook or supplement required or recommended for each course; and (3) the number of students enrolled, and the maximum enrollment, in each course.

Status of the Legislation

Latest Major Action: 10/23/2007: Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness.

Points in Favor

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Points Against

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