CHAPTER 6. Academic Materials [66400. - 66410.]

Cal. Education Code - EDC 6.

in effect

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66400. Section 66400.

No person shall prepare, offer to prepare, cause to be prepared, sell, or otherwise distribute any term paper, thesis, dissertation, or other written material for another person, for a fee or other compensation, with the knowledge, or under circumstances in which he should reasonably have known, that such term paper, thesis, dissertation, or other written material is to be submitted by any other person for academic credit at any public or private college, university, or other institution of higher learning in this state.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66401. Section 66401.

No person shall make or disseminate, with the intent to induce any other person to enter into any obligation relating thereto, any statement, written or oral, that he will prepare, cause to be prepared, sell, or otherwise distribute any term paper, thesis, dissertation, or other written material, for a fee or other compensation, for or on behalf of any person who has been assigned the written preparation of such term paper, thesis, dissertation, or other written material for academic credit at any public or private college, university, or other institution of higher learning in this state.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66402. Section 66402.

Any court of competent jurisdiction is hereby authorized to grant such relief as is necessary to enforce the provisions of this chapter, including the issuance of an injunction.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66403. Section 66403.

Actions for injunction under the provisions of this chapter may be brought in the name of the people of the State of California upon their own complaint or upon the complaint of any person, or in the name of any public or private college, university, or other institution of higher learning, acting for the interest of itself, its students, or the general public.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66404. Section 66404.

The provisions of this chapter are not exclusive. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to preempt or in any other way limit, diminish, or imply the absence of rights of any party, public or private, against any person in connection with any of the acts described in Section 66400 or Section 66401.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66405. Section 66405.

As used in this chapter, “person” means any individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, or association. As used in this chapter, “prepare” means to put into condition for intended use. “Prepare” does not include the mere typing or assembling of papers, nor the mere furnishing of information or research.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66406. Section 66406.

(a) The Legislature finds and declares that the production and pricing of college textbooks deserves a high level of attention from educators and lawmakers because they impact the quality and affordability of higher education. (b) Consistent with Section 133 of Title I of the federal Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1015b), the state urges textbook publishers to do all of the following: (1) “Unbundle” the instructional materials to give students the option of buying textbooks, CD-ROMs, and workbooks “à la carte” or without additional materials. (2) Post in a prominent location on the publishers’ Internet Web sites, where it is readily available to college faculty, students, and departments, both of the following types of information: (A) A list of all of the different products they sell, including both bundled and unbundled options, and the net price of each product. (B) A detailed description of how the newest edition differs from the previous edition, including an initial summary of content changes such as reordered, renamed, added, or deleted chapters. The description shall detail changes in each chapter, including but not limited to, additions, subtractions, and revisions. The description shall apply to changes in text, illustrations, statistics, graphics, and any other component of the chapter. The state urges online textbook sellers to add to their Internet Web sites links to the publishers’ descriptions established pursuant to this subparagraph. (3) Give preference to paper or online supplements to current editions rather than producing entirely new editions. (4) Disclose to faculty the length of time they intend to produce the current edition so that professors know how long they can use the same book. (5) Provide to faculty a free copy of each textbook selected by faculty for use in the classroom for placement on reserve in the campus library. (c) The Trustees of the California State University and the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges shall, and the Regents of the University of California are requested to, accomplish all of the following: (1) Work with the academic senates of each respective segment to do all of the following: (A) Encourage faculty to give consideration to the least costly practices in assigning textbooks, varying by discipline, such as adopting the least expensive edition when the educational content is equal, and using a selected textbook as long as it is educationally sound, as determined by the appropriate faculty. (B) Encourage faculty to disclose both of the following to students: (i) How new editions of textbooks are different from the previous editions. (ii) The cost to students for textbooks selected for use in each course. (C) Review procedures for faculty to inform college and university bookstores of textbook selections. (D) Encourage faculty to work closely with publishers and college and university bookstores in creating bundles and packages if they are economically sound and deliver cost savings to students, and if bundles and packages have been requested by faculty. Students should have the option of purchasing textbooks and other instructional materials that are “unbundled.” (2) Require college and university bookstores to work with the academic senates of each respective campus to do both of the following: (A) Review issues relative to timelines and processes involved in ordering and stocking selected textbooks. (B) Work closely with faculty or publishers, or both, to create bundles and packages that are economically sound and deliver cost savings to students. (3) Encourage college and university bookstores to disclose retail textbook costs, on a per course basis, to faculty, and make this information otherwise publicly available. (4) Encourage campuses to provide as many forums for students to have access to as many used books as possible, including, but not necessarily limited to, all of the following: (A) Implementing campus-sponsored textbook rental programs. (B) Encouraging students to consider on-campus and online book swaps so that students may buy and sell used books and set their own prices. (C) Encouraging students to consider student book lending programs. (D) Encouraging college and university bookstores that offer book buyback programs to actively promote and publicize these programs. (E) Encouraging the establishment of textbook rental programs and any other appropriate approaches to providing high-quality materials that are affordable to students. (d) It is the intent of the Legislature to encourage private colleges and universities to work with their respective academic senates and to encourage faculty to consider practices in selecting textbooks that will result in the lowest costs to students.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66406.5. Section 66406.5.

The Trustees of the California State University shall, and the Regents of the University of California are requested to, review each respective segment’s student transfer policies, and to revise those policies, to ensure that faculty may choose a textbook selected for a transfer or general education course, regardless of publication date, for as long as the textbook is available to students and the information contained in the textbook is current and reflects contemporary thinking in the discipline.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66406.7. Section 66406.7.

(a) This section shall be known and may be cited as the College Textbook Transparency Act. (b) As used in this section, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) “Adopter” means any faculty member or academic department or other adopting entity at an institution of higher education responsible for considering and choosing course materials to be used in connection with the accredited courses taught at that institution. (2) “Complimentary copies” or “review course materials” only includes books that in all appearances are the same as the regular student edition of the textbook, and contain no material other than that found in the regular student edition of the textbook. (3) “Instructor copies” or “complimentary teacher editions” means books with information that is meant to be for the exclusive use of teachers and not for students. These books contain answers and solutions, test questions, and pedagogical techniques, and are often labeled instructor’s edition or instructor’s manuals. (4) “New edition of textbook” means a subsequent version of an earlier standard textbook. A standard textbook is the primary, full, and unabridged edition of a textbook. An abridged, alternate format, or alternate version of a standard textbook shall not be considered a new edition. (5) “Publisher” means any publishing house, publishing firm, or publishing company that publishes textbooks or other course materials, specifically designed for postsecondary instruction. (6) “Textbook” means a book that contains printed material and is intended for use as a source of study material for a class or group of students, a copy of which is expected to be available for the use of each of the students in that class or group. “Textbook” does not include a novel. (7) “Unsolicited complimentary copies” means all items described in paragraph (2) and that were not requested by faculty but are sent by the publisher unsolicited by a faculty or staff member. (c) (1) Adopters are encouraged to consider cost in the adoption of textbooks. (2) Publishers shall facilitate the work done by adopters by providing transparency in the adoption process and shall be responsive in a timely manner to requests for information on textbook cost and content, and the full range of options. (d) (1) On or after January 1, 2010, the publisher of a textbook shall print on the outer cover of, or within, the standard textbook, both of the following items: (A) For any new editions of textbooks initially published on or after January 1, 2010, a summary of the substantive content differences between the new edition and the prior edition. (B) The copyright date of the previous edition of the textbook. (2) For instructor copies or complimentary teacher editions, it shall be noted on the exterior of the book that the book is an instructor’s copy and is not for resale. (e) (1) A publisher, or agent or employee of a publisher, of textbooks intended for use at a postsecondary educational institution shall respond to a request from an adopter for any of the following: (A) A list of the products offered for sale by that publisher that are relevant to the needs and interests of adopters. (B) The price at which the new book is available from the publisher. (C) The copyright date of any prior edition of a textbook, if available. (D) A list of the substantial content differences or changes made between the current edition initially published on or after January 1, 2010, and the previous edition of the textbook, including, but not necessarily limited to, new chapters, additional eras of time, new themes, or new subject matter. (2) The information described in this subdivision shall be available in print or electronically to the adopter. (f) Each campus bookstore at any public postsecondary educational institution shall post in its store or on its Internet Web site a disclosure of its retail pricing policy on new and used textbooks. (g) Each public postsecondary educational institution shall encourage adopters with course material selection responsibilities to place their orders with sufficient lead time, whenever possible, to enable the university-managed bookstore or contract-managed bookstore to confirm the availability of the requested materials. (h) This section does not limit the authority of faculty over decisions relating to the selection of textbooks. (i) An adopter at an institution of higher education shall not demand or receive anything of value, including the donation of equipment or goods, any payment, loan, advance, or deposit of money, present or promised, for adopting specific course materials required for coursework or instruction, except that an employee may receive any of the following: (1) Complimentary copies, review course materials, or instructor copies. The adopters shall not sell instructor copies. (2) Royalties or other compensation from sales of course materials that include the instructor’s writing or other work. Receipt of these royalties or compensation is subject to the employer’s standing policies or collective bargaining agreements relating to employee conflicts of interest. (3) Honoraria for academic peer review of course materials. Receipt of honoraria is subject to the employer’s standing policies relating to employee conflicts of interest. (4) Training in the use of course materials and course technologies. Payment for travel and lodging and or meals shall be subject to the employer’s standing polices relating to employee conflicts of interest and compensation. (j) A publisher or campus bookstore shall not solicit faculty for the purpose of the sale of instructor copies or complimentary teachers editions of textbooks that have been provided by a publisher at no charge to a faculty member or other employee. This subdivision does not apply to unsolicited complimentary copies. (k) A campus bookstore shall not engage in any trade of any course material marked, or otherwise identified, as instructor copies or complementary teachers editions of textbooks. (l) Any self-published textbook by an instructor for use with that instructor’s class shall be exempt from this section, if the instructor discloses the publishing and use of those materials to his or her employer institution.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66406.9. Section 66406.9.

(a) Each campus of the California Community Colleges and the California State University shall, and each campus of the University of California is requested to, do all of the following: (1) (A) Clearly highlight, by means that may include a symbol or logo in a conspicuous place on the online campus course schedule, the courses that exclusively use digital course materials that are free of charge to students and may have a low-cost option for print versions. (B) The digital course materials described in subparagraph (A) may include open educational resources, institutionally licensed campus library materials that all students enrolled in the course have access to use, and other properly licensed and adopted materials. Each campus of the California State University, each participating campus of the University of California, and each community college district shall ensure that these materials comply with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 12101 et seq.) and the federal Copyright Act of 1976 (Public Law 94-553). (2) Clearly communicate to students that the digital course materials used for the courses identified pursuant to paragraph (1) are free of charge and therefore not required to be purchased. (3) Prominently display, by means that may include a link to a separate internet web page, the estimated costs for each course of all required course materials and fees directly related to those materials, for no less than 40 percent by January 1, 2025, 55 percent by January 1, 2026, 65 percent by January 1, 2027, and 75 percent by January 1, 2028, of the total number of courses on the online campus course schedule for which a faculty member or course instructor has been assigned. “Course materials” as used in this paragraph includes digital or physical textbooks, devices such as calculators and remote attendance platforms, and software subscriptions. (b) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) “Course schedule” is a collection of available classes, course sections, or both, published electronically, before the start of an academic term. (2) “Open educational resources” are high-quality teaching, learning, and research resources that reside in the public domain or have been released under an intellectual property license, such as a Creative Commons license, that permits their free use and repurposing by others, and may include other resources that are legally available and free of cost to students. “Open educational resources” include, but are not limited to, full courses, course materials, modules, textbooks, faculty-created content, streaming videos, tests, software, and any other tools, materials, or techniques used to support access to knowledge. (c) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2024.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66407. Section 66407.

(a) (1) The publisher of a textbook, or an agent or employee of the publisher, shall provide a prospective purchaser of the textbook with all of the following: (A) A list of all the products offered for sale by the publisher germane to the prospective purchaser’s subject area of interest. (B) For a product listed pursuant to subparagraph (A), the wholesale or retail price of the product, and the estimated length of time the publisher intends to keep the product on the market. (C) For each new edition of a product listed pursuant to subparagraph (A), a list of the substantial content differences or changes between the new edition and the previous edition of the textbook. (2) The publisher shall make the lists required by paragraph (1) available to a prospective purchaser at the commencement of a sales interaction, including, but not necessarily limited to, a sales interaction conducted in person, by telephone, or electronically. The publisher shall also post in a prominent position on its Internet Web site the lists required by paragraph (1). (b) As used in this section, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) “Product” means each version, including, but not necessarily limited to, a version in a digital format, of a textbook, or set of textbooks, in a particular subject area, including, but not necessarily limited to, a supplemental item, whether or not the supplemental item is sold separately or together with a textbook. (2) “Publisher” has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 66406.7. (3) “Purchaser” means a faculty member of a public or private postsecondary educational institution who selects the textbooks assigned to students. (4) “Textbook” has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 66406.7.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66407.5. Section 66407.5.

(a) The respective academic senates of the campuses of the California State University and the University of California, in collaboration with students and campus administrators, shall develop policies regarding required academic materials in order to encourage efforts to reduce redundancy in the delivery of academic materials, including, but not necessarily limited to, textbooks and access codes. The policies adopted pursuant to this section shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, all of the following: (1) Guidelines prioritizing the use of ancillary and additional academic platforms and materials, not including textbooks, already available to enrolled students that are determined by faculty to serve the requirements of a course of study at no additional cost to enrolled students on their campuses or to the campus itself. (2) A requirement that the cost of academic materials from the current semester or quarter be provided to faculty members by the campus bookstore when academic materials are being chosen for an upcoming academic term, if available. (3) The establishment, in consultation with the campus bookstore, of deadlines by the campus for a faculty member or academic department to notify the campus bookstore of required and recommended textbooks and other instructional materials so that the bookstore may verify availability, source, and lower cost options when practicable, and provide this information to faculty for consideration when exploring alternatives. (4) A determination, in consultation with the campus bookstore, of approved descriptors to post next to academic materials offered for sale at the campus bookstore, including a requirement that the bookstore clearly identify any recommended course materials that are suggested by the bookstore but not by the faculty member who assigned the materials. (b) The campuses of the California State University shall, and the campuses of the University of California are requested to, submit the policies developed pursuant to subdivision (a) to the Trustees of the California State University and the Regents of the University of California, as appropriate, for their review. (c) It is the intent of the Legislature that the faculty of the public postsecondary segments be encouraged to continue their commitment to making academic materials affordable by considering free or inexpensive options, including open access options, in selecting academic materials to assign to their students. (d) As used in this section: (1) “Access code” means an identification number or password, or both, that is used to gain access to digital content. (2) “Textbook” has the same meaning as defined in Section 66406.7.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66408. Section 66408.

(a) The California Digital Open Source Library is hereby established, and shall be administered by the California State University, in coordination with the California Community Colleges, for the purpose of housing open source materials while providing an Internet Web-based way for students, faculty, and staff to easily find, adopt, utilize, or modify course materials for little or no cost. The California State University shall also act in coordination with the University of California in administering the California Digital Open Source Library if the regents act, by appropriate resolution, to authorize the university to participate in the administration of the library. (b) All material in the California Digital Open Source Library shall bear a creative commons attribution license that allows others to use, distribute, and create derivative works based upon the digital material while still allowing the authors or creators of the material to receive credit for their efforts. (c) It is the intent of the Legislature that the public postsecondary educational segments assist and support faculty in choosing lower cost, more flexible, and dynamic alternatives such as open source textbooks and related teaching tools. Nothing in this section shall be construed to mandate faculty use of any particular textbook or related materials.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66409. Section 66409.

(a) The California Open Education Resources Council is hereby established. The council shall be composed of faculty leaders from the three segments of public postsecondary education, and shall be administered by the Intersegmental Committee of the Academic Senates of the University of California, the California State University, and the California Community Colleges, or a successor group. (b) The council shall have nine members: three members shall be faculty of the University of California, selected by the Academic Senate, University of California; three members shall be faculty of the California State University, selected by the Academic Senate of the California State University; and three members shall be community college faculty, selected by the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges. Appointments to the council shall be made no later than 90 days after the act that adds this section becomes operative. (c) The council shall be responsible for accomplishing all of the following: (1) (A) Development of a list of 50 strategically selected lower division courses in the public postsecondary segments for which high-quality, affordable, digital open source textbooks and related materials shall be developed or acquired pursuant to this section. (B) In developing the course list pursuant to this paragraph, the council shall consider the extent to which the selected courses: (i) Are among the most highly enrolled courses at each of the three segments. (ii) Are likely to generate significant saving in textbook costs for students. (iii) Demonstrate relative consistency in content across existing textbook products. (iv) Provide opportunities for faculty to augment the open textbook with free faculty-authored materials or other free open education materials from existing digital libraries and collections. (v) Are conducive to discipline-based pedagogies that can be enhanced with digital resources and interactivity to support improved student learning success. (2) Creation and administration of a standardized, rigorous review and approval process for open source textbooks and related materials developed or acquired pursuant to this section. This process shall ensure that all open source textbooks and related materials developed or acquired pursuant to this section have been tested and validated as having met accessibility requirements for students with disabilities before approval and release. The textbooks and other materials shall include documentation for students with disabilities that describes available accessibility features. (3) Promotion of strategies for production, access, and use of open source materials. (4) Regularly soliciting and considering, from each of the respective statewide student associations of the University of California, the California State University, and the California Community Colleges, advice and guidance on open source education textbooks and related materials. It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this paragraph that the council actively solicit and consider student perspectives related to open source education textbooks and related materials on matters such as format, accessibility, and usability. (d) The council shall establish a competitive request for proposal process in which faculty members, publishers, and other interested parties may apply for funds to produce the 50 high-quality, affordable, digital open source textbooks and related materials in 2013. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to limit or restrict the council from developing or acquiring, either for a charge or for free, existing high-quality digital open source textbooks and related materials that otherwise meet the specifications of this section. (e) The council shall submit a report to the Legislature and the Governor on the progress of the implementation of this section no later than six months after the act that adds this section becomes operative, and submit a final report by January 1, 2016. (f) The textbooks and other materials produced pursuant to this section shall comply with all of the following requirements: (1) The textbooks and other materials are placed under a creative commons attribution license that allows others to use, distribute, and create derivative works based upon the digital material while still allowing the authors or creators to receive credit for their efforts. (2) The textbooks and other materials are modular in order to allow easy customization, and are encoded in an Extensible Markup Language (XML) format, or other appropriate successor format, and are designed and delivered to achieve interoperability enabling the materials to be made available reliably and successfully on the widest possible range of platforms, such as the Internet, tablets, smartphones, print, or other platforms. (3) The textbooks and other materials conform to the most current, ratified standards under Section 508 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 794d), as amended, and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines adopted by the World Wide Web Consortium for accessibility. The textbooks and other materials shall be furnished to colleges and universities for distribution to students with print disabilities in accordance with the requirements of Section 67302 or 67302.5, as applicable. (4) The textbooks and other materials are submitted to, and housed within, the California Open Source Digital Library, when and if that library is established pursuant to statute.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 66410. Section 66410.

(a) No later than January 1, 2020, any individual, firm, partnership, or corporation that publishes textbooks offered for sale at the University of California, the California State University, the California Community Colleges, or a private postsecondary educational institution in the state shall, to the extent practicable, make the textbooks available, in whole or in part, for sale in an electronic format. The electronic version of any textbook shall contain the same content as the printed version and may be copy-protected. (b) For purposes of this section, “textbook” has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 66406.7. (c) This section does not authorize any use of instructional materials that would constitute an infringement of copyright under the Copyright Revision Act of 1976, as amended (17 U.S.C. Sec. 101 et seq.).

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026