ENROLLED
2023 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 644 (Substitute for House Bill No. 381 by Representative LaFleur)
BY REPRESENTATIVES LAFLEUR, BOYD, BRASS, CARRIER, WILFORD CARTER,
FISHER, GEYMANN, GLOVER, GREEN, HUGHES, JEFFERSON, JENKINS,
KNOX, LARVADAIN, LYONS, MARCELLE, DUSTIN MILLER, MOORE,
NEWELL, PHELPS, PIERRE, AND WILLARD
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 17:3129.8, relative to open educational resources for public postsecondary
3 education students; to provide for pilot programs; to require the Board of Regents
4 and the management boards to collaborate relative to the programs; to require the
5 Board of Regents to report to the legislature; to provide for effectiveness; to provide
6 for related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 17:3129.8 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 ยง3129.8. Affordable Digital Textbook and Learning Materials Pilot Programs
10 A. The Board of Regents, referred to in this Section as the "board", in
11 collaboration with the public postsecondary education management boards, shall
12 develop and implement pilot programs to provide open and no-cost digital textbooks,
13 study tools, online homework, and open educational resources that can be used to
14 improve student outcomes. The pilot programs for which funds will be awarded
15 shall be selected by the board in accordance with the criteria set forth in this Section.
16 B. The board shall:
17 (1) Issue a request for applications from public postsecondary education
18 management boards for proposals for pilot programs.
19 (2) Prioritize pilot programs that provide the most benefit to socially and
20 economically disadvantaged and historically underrepresented students. This may
21 be determined by identifying courses with a high percentage of enrollment of groups
22 of such students and the potential for large-scale adoption of open educational
23 resources in the courses.
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1 (3) Award funds for pilot programs to replace existing commercial textbooks
2 available to students only through purchase with open educational resources as
3 defined in R.S. 17:3129.9. The open educational resources used in pilot programs
4 shall be made available to students at no cost with unlimited access not later than the
5 first day of classes of the first semester in which the program is being implemented.
6 Priority shall be placed on using open educational resources that carry an open
7 license that allow faculty to customize course materials to improve student learning
8 outcomes.
9 (4) Enter into contracts with management boards administering pilot
10 programs. At a minimum, the contracts shall require the following:
11 (a) Revised and newly created course materials including ancillary materials
12 and related learning materials.
13 (b) Instructional materials be made available in the statewide digital platform
14 of open educational resources maintained by LOUIS: The Louisiana Library
15 Network in order to ensure materials are discoverable and widely available.
16 Materials shall be made available under a license consistent with the availability of
17 open educational resource materials.
18 C.(1) In submitting proposals pursuant to Subsection B of this Section,
19 management boards interested in participating shall:
20 (a) Demonstrate the anticipated number of students who would benefit from
21 the program; the courses in which the awarded funds will be used, the textbooks
22 currently being used in the courses, and the proposed use of open educational
23 resources in the courses; and the estimated average amount of savings per student.
24 (b) Either propose customizing course instruction to currently available open
25 educational resources or developing new course instruction using open educational
26 resources.
27 (c) Identify the faculty who would customize course instruction to existing
28 open educational resources or develop new course instruction using open educational
29 resources.
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1 (2) In awarding funding, the board shall give priority to proposals that
2 include the following:
3 (a) Targeted learning modules to provide additional student supports to
4 combat ongoing learning loss.
5 (b) Resources to help students develop necessary employability skills
6 including but not limited to digital skills, financial literacy, time management,
7 communication, and goal setting.
8 D.(1) The provisions of this Section shall be implemented beginning with
9 the 2024 fall semester.
10 (2) The provisions of this Section shall terminate September 2, 2026.
11 (3) Not later than September 1, 2026, the Board of Regents shall provide a
12 written report to the governor, the president of the Senate, the speaker of the House
13 of Representatives, and the chairmen of the legislative committees on education and
14 commerce on the program.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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