Skip to content
CapRadio

CapRadio

listen live donate
listen live donate
listen live
donate
  • News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
    News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
  • Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
    Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
  • Podcasts & Shows
  • Schedules
  • Events
  • Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
    Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
  • About
  • Close Menu
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
  • State Government
  •  

New California Law Aims to Save Students Money On Textbooks

  •  Sami Soto 
Friday, September 28, 2018 | Sacramento, CA
Listen
/
Update RequiredTo play audio, update browser or Flash plugin.
University of Illinois Library / Flickr
 

University of Illinois Library / Flickr

As the school year kicks off, college students across California are spending hundreds of dollars — and in some cases more — on textbooks. Now, a new law hopes to curb those costs.

Gov. Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 2385 in late August, which urges textbook publishers to post on their websites detailed descriptions of how new editions differ from previous ones, including changes to text, illustrations, statistics and graphs.

Publishers, however, are not required to comply with the law.  

Republican Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham of San Luis Obispo authored the bill. He called it a pilot program that could be a model for future regulation.

“It’s really a transparency bill that I think will have the effect of holding down some price increases by holding [publishers] accountable and giving students a little more information about whether they really need to buy that new edition of an extensive textbook,” Cunningham told Capital Public Radio.

Cunningham said big textbook publishers pushed back against the bill. As a result, the bill was softened.

A report from The College Board found the average student budgets more than $1,200 a year for textbooks and supplies.

Sacramento State University junior Alejandra Rodarte said she only buys the books for her major, which she knows she will reuse.

“I understand books have a certain price to them,” Rodarte said. “But overly spending on a book you’re only going to use for one semester for a class you only need for one semester is just too much.”

The new law takes effect in January.


Follow us for more stories like this

CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you.  As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.

Donate Today  

Sami Soto

PolitiFact California Intern

Sami Soto is PolitiFact California's Summer 2018 intern. This fall, Sami will be a senior at Sacramento State University, where she is a journalism and government major.   Read Full Bio 

Sign up for ReCap and never miss the top stories

Delivered to your inbox every Friday.

 

Check out a sample ReCap newsletter.

Thanks for subscribing!

Thank you for signing up for the ReCap newsletter! We'll send you an email each Friday with the top stories from CapRadio.

Browse all newsletters

More State Government Stories

Aaron Kehoe/AP

Backed by Newsom, California Democrats revive changes to state concealed carry law

February 1, 2023

Ariana Drehsler / CalMatters

California reparations task force zeroes in on who’d be eligible for compensation

January 30, 2023

AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File

Thieves drain millions off CalFresh and CalWORKs recipients’ cards, families wait and taxpayers pay

January 31, 2023

Most Viewed

10 new California laws that go into effect in 2023

Backed by Newsom, California Democrats revive changes to state concealed carry law

Still testing positive after day 10? How to decide when to end your COVID isolation

Behind The I-80 Castle: A Drag-Racing, Beauty School Mogul’s Dream House

California ends plans for kids’ Covid vaccine mandate

We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter

Most Viewed

10 new California laws that go into effect in 2023

Backed by Newsom, California Democrats revive changes to state concealed carry law

Still testing positive after day 10? How to decide when to end your COVID isolation

Behind The I-80 Castle: A Drag-Racing, Beauty School Mogul’s Dream House

California ends plans for kids’ Covid vaccine mandate

Back to Top

  • CapRadio

    7055 Folsom Boulevard
    Sacramento, CA 95826-2625

    •  
      (916) 278-8900
    •  
      (877) 480-5900
    •  Contact / Feedback
    •  Submit a News Tip
  • About

    • Mission / Vision / Core Values
    • Stations & Coverage Map
    • Careers & Internships
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
    • Press
  • Listening Options

    • Mobile Apps
    • Smart Speakers
    • Podcasts & Shows
    • On-Air Schedules
    • Daily Playlist
    • Signal Status
  • Connect

    •  Facebook
    •  Twitter
    •  Instagram
    •  YouTube
  • Donate

  • Listen Live

  • Newsletters

CapRadio stations are licensed to California State University, Sacramento. © 2023, Capital Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Website Feedback FCC Public Files: KXJZ KKTO KUOP KQNC KXPR KXSR KXJS. For assistance accessing our public files, please call 916-278-8900 or email us.