HB469 Alabama 2015 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Lynn Greer

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2015

Title

Textbooks, purchasing of by boards of education, use of qualified depository for textbooks established, Secs. 16-36-60.1, 16-36-71 added; Secs. 16-36-62, 16-36-64, 16-36-65 am'd.

Summary

The bill would create qualified textbook depositories in Alabama to handle ordering, stocking, and distributing textbooks (including digital texts) to schools, with price controls on publishers and a new local textbook committee process.

What This Bill Does

It establishes qualified depositories to receive orders, store sufficient stock, and distribute textbooks to local districts, while prohibiting depositories from charging boards (but allowing charges to publishers). It requires publishers to maintain stock at a qualified depository and to comply with price limits, including a requirement that prices through depositories not exceed legally prescribed costs. It also expands adoption and procurement to include digital textbooks and sets up local textbook committees appointed by boards (including parents) to recommend textbooks from state or local lists, with adoption by local boards and reporting to the State Superintendent.

Who It Affects

• Publishers: must maintain stock at qualified depositories, may be charged a fee by the depository, must comply with price limits and contract terms, provide samples, and participate in price and delivery provisions.
• Local boards of education (and parents on local textbook committees): must appoint committees, follow adoption procedures, review and recommend textbooks, adopt by majority vote, and report adoption details to state authorities; will use the qualified depository system for distribution.

Key Provisions

• Creation of qualified depositories for textbooks (including digital textbooks) responsible for receiving orders, stocking quantities, and distributing to schools; depositories must be located in-state and have the capacity to operate continuously.
• Publishers must ensure sufficient stock at qualified depositories and may be charged a publisher fee by the depository; prices charged by publishers for textbooks distributed through depositories must not exceed costs prescribed by law, with price protections and remedies for violations.
• Textbooks include digital textbooks; digital access and distribution are to be provided through the qualified depository system, and publishers cannot refuse to sell through a qualified depository.
• Local textbook committees appointed by local boards (including parents) must prepare affidavits, meet to recommend textbooks, and local boards adopt textbooks by majority vote; state lists and local lists may be used, with certain restrictions on consideration of State Board-rejected titles.
• Pricing and contracting rules: maximum prices are set so that Alabama contracts do not exceed published wholesale prices, and contracts include provisions to prevent underpricing and ensure timely delivery; violations can lead to contract forfeiture and damages deposited to the Education Trust Fund.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Textbooks