Full Senate will hear Textbook Transparency Act

The Missouri State Senate Committee on Higher Education voted Wednesday to pass consent on the Textbook Transparency Act. The Missouri House of Representatives has already passed the bill, which would require textbook publishers to break up bundles of textbooks and supplementary materials.

Teri Vogler, textbook supervisor in the University Bookstore, said the bill would "definitely help students" afford books more easily.

"If bundles are broken up, then the bookstore will be able to buy more used textbooks and students can buy books at a cheaper price," said Vogler.

The Associated Students of the University of Missouri, which is the student lobbying group for the UM system, has been a strong supporter of the Textbook Transparency Act since its inception. Andrew Walker of ASUM spoke in favor of the bill at the March 7 Student Government Association meeting.

"All of ASUM supports this bill and it's getting a lot of support from the people in Jefferson City," Walker said. "This bill will help all of our students a lot."

Vogler said the bill "would not affect bookstore profits." She said that without bundles, she "hopes the price of books will go down" and save the students money.

The bill will not only break up bundles, but would require publishers to disclose the price of textbooks to teachers before they purchase them for their classes.

This way, teachers can use the book price in determining whether or not to use the book for their class.

Also, the bill would allow for any unused financial aid to be used toward the purchase of textbooks. UM-St. Louis already allows financial to be used for purchases of bookstore materials.