News release: “The use of 21st century technology to bring significant savings in textbook costs for California college students will be made possible under two measures the Governor signed into law today. The companion bills by Senate President pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg, SB 1052 and SB 1053, will establish development of open source digital textbooks for 50 lower division courses which college students can electronically access for free, or for a modest cost of $20 per printed textbook. “The current cost of traditional textbooks is so high, some college students are forced to struggle through a required class without the textbook, forced to drop classes or sometimes even drop out of college altogether. There’s absolutely no reason a basic biology, statistics or accounting textbook, for example, should cost $200,” said Steinberg. “The Governor has shown great vision in signing this legislation as a way to help tens of thousands of students and families with the increasing expenses of higher education. Any avenue towards reducing those costs opens more doors for our students, and that in turn continues development of the educated workforce we need to fuel California’s economic engine.”