| 1 | 1 | | 84R3839 KJE-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Canales H.B. No. 926 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to a study and report regarding the use of open-source |
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| 8 | 8 | | instructional materials at public institutions of higher |
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| 9 | 9 | | education. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is |
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| 12 | 12 | | amended by adding Section 61.0666 to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 61.0666. STUDY ON USE OF OPEN-SOURCE INSTRUCTIONAL |
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| 14 | 14 | | MATERIALS. (a) In this section, "open-source instructional |
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| 15 | 15 | | material" means electronic instructional material that is |
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| 16 | 16 | | available for downloading from the Internet at no charge to a |
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| 17 | 17 | | student and without requiring the purchase of an unlock code, |
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| 18 | 18 | | membership, or other access or use charge, except for a charge to |
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| 19 | 19 | | order an optional printed copy of all or part of the instructional |
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| 20 | 20 | | material. |
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| 21 | 21 | | (b) The board shall conduct a study regarding the use of |
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| 22 | 22 | | open-source instructional materials at institutions of higher |
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| 23 | 23 | | education. The study must include: |
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| 24 | 24 | | (1) an analysis of any impact that the use of |
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| 25 | 25 | | open-source instructional materials has on the cost of other |
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| 26 | 26 | | instructional materials; |
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| 27 | 27 | | (2) any difference in the quality of content or effect |
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| 28 | 28 | | on the learning process between open-source instructional |
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| 29 | 29 | | materials and other instructional materials; and |
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| 30 | 30 | | (3) an evaluation of information from other states |
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| 31 | 31 | | that have implemented the use of open-source instructional |
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| 32 | 32 | | materials at similar institutions regarding: |
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| 33 | 33 | | (A) the benefits realized and costs incurred from |
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| 34 | 34 | | the use of those materials; and |
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| 35 | 35 | | (B) best practices for the use of those |
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| 36 | 36 | | materials. |
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| 37 | 37 | | (c) Not later than September 1, 2016, the board shall submit |
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| 38 | 38 | | to each legislative standing committee with primary jurisdiction |
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| 39 | 39 | | over higher education the results of its study under this section |
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| 40 | 40 | | and recommendations for legislative or other action. |
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| 41 | 41 | | (d) This section expires September 1, 2017. |
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| 42 | 42 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 43 | 43 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 44 | 44 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 45 | 45 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 46 | 46 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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