Sec. 51.9705. NOTICE REGARDING AVAILABILITY OF TEXTBOOKS THROUGH MULTIPLE RETAILERS

(a) In this section:

(1) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning assigned by Section 61.003.

(2) "University-affiliated bookstore" means a bookstore that:

(A) sells textbooks for courses offered by an institution of higher education, regardless of whether the bookstore is located on the campus of the institution; and

(B) is operated by or with the approval of the institution through ownership, a management agreement, a lease or rental agreement, or otherwise.

(b) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall prescribe procedures by which each institution of higher education shall provide to each student enrolled at the institution written notice regarding the availability of required or recommended textbooks through university-affiliated bookstores and through retailers other than university-affiliated bookstores. The procedures must require the institution to provide the notice:

(1) to each student of the institution during the week preceding each fall and spring semester;

(2) to each student enrolled at the institution in a semester or summer term during the first three weeks of the semester or the first week of the summer term, as applicable; and

(3) to students or prospective students of the institution attending an orientation conducted by or for the institution.

(c) The notice shall be provided in a hard-copy or electronic format in a manner that ensures that the notice is reasonably likely to come to the attention of a student receiving the notice. The notice must contain the following:

"A student of this institution is not under any obligation to purchase a textbook from a university-affiliated bookstore. The same textbook may also be available from an independent retailer, including an online retailer."

(d) The coordinating board shall adopt rules to administer this section.

Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 348 , Sec. 1, eff. June 19, 2009.