2008 Woodie Awards
Politics topple textbook bill passage
Megan Eckstein
Issue date: 4/9/08 Section: News
Don't expect textbooks to be cheaper next year.
After weeks of examining the textbook industry, pumping out idea after idea on how to reform the book-buying process, and promising that this was the year to save students from the "hidden cost" of higher education, Annapolis lawmakers' politics got in the way of passing a bill to help save students money.
In a last-minute showdown, the House made two amendments that favored the state's universities, and the Senate refused to pass them, saying the suggestions hurt students by not fostering a competitive textbook market.
The proposed amendments would have increased the time universities have to publish textbooks' ISBNs and other information, as well as require them to expose students to non-school-sponsored bookstores at freshman orientation.
The House's suggestions came Monday morning, the last day of debate, despite the Senate passing a version three weeks earlier. Both legislative bodies must pass an identical bill for it to be signed into law.
The Senate didn't look at the House's proposed amendments until 10 minutes before the midnight deadline, so time ran out to reach a compromise.
"If they had passed their version of the bill a week ago even, we could have worked something out," said Sen. Jim Rosapepe (D-Anne Arundel and Prince George's), who represents College Park and co-sponsored the textbook bill. Rosapepe noted that House members he talked to said they were flexible in the amendments they made but didn't allow for enough time to compromise.
But Del. John Bohanan (D-St. Mary's), who chairs the House Appropriations subcommittee in charge of getting the ball rolling on the textbook bill, said timing was not the problem, rather, the Senate was not as willing to compromise as the House was.
"I don't think running out of time was really the issue, I guess [the Senate] wanted to hold out and get more in the bill," he said. "We could have spent all session just agreeing on things … if people want to hold out for more then that's one thing, but it wouldn't matter if we had one hour or two weeks."
After weeks of examining the textbook industry, pumping out idea after idea on how to reform the book-buying process, and promising that this was the year to save students from the "hidden cost" of higher education, Annapolis lawmakers' politics got in the way of passing a bill to help save students money.
In a last-minute showdown, the House made two amendments that favored the state's universities, and the Senate refused to pass them, saying the suggestions hurt students by not fostering a competitive textbook market.
The proposed amendments would have increased the time universities have to publish textbooks' ISBNs and other information, as well as require them to expose students to non-school-sponsored bookstores at freshman orientation.
The House's suggestions came Monday morning, the last day of debate, despite the Senate passing a version three weeks earlier. Both legislative bodies must pass an identical bill for it to be signed into law.
The Senate didn't look at the House's proposed amendments until 10 minutes before the midnight deadline, so time ran out to reach a compromise.
"If they had passed their version of the bill a week ago even, we could have worked something out," said Sen. Jim Rosapepe (D-Anne Arundel and Prince George's), who represents College Park and co-sponsored the textbook bill. Rosapepe noted that House members he talked to said they were flexible in the amendments they made but didn't allow for enough time to compromise.
But Del. John Bohanan (D-St. Mary's), who chairs the House Appropriations subcommittee in charge of getting the ball rolling on the textbook bill, said timing was not the problem, rather, the Senate was not as willing to compromise as the House was.
"I don't think running out of time was really the issue, I guess [the Senate] wanted to hold out and get more in the bill," he said. "We could have spent all session just agreeing on things … if people want to hold out for more then that's one thing, but it wouldn't matter if we had one hour or two weeks."
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