Bill
H 1427
Creates MA Open Educational Resource Trust Fund to fund free, adaptable course materials for public colleges; runs grants, training, and annual reports to lower student costs.
Status and context
- Bill Number: H. 1427
- Title: An Act reducing the cost of attending college
- Introduced: February 27, 2025
- Current status: Accompanied by a new draft (see H.4651)
- Legislative actions: Referred to the House Committee on Higher Education (2/27/2025); Senate concurrence noted on the same day; hearing scheduled in July 2025; later updated with a new draft in October 2025
- Related bill: Similar matter previously filed as H. 3761 (2023-2024); HD 2192 is noted as a replacement
Purpose and intent
- The bill seeks to reduce the overall cost of attending college in Massachusetts by promoting the development, distribution, and use of Open Educational Resources (OER) for textbooks and related course materials.
- By expanding access to free or low-cost curricular materials, the measure aims to alleviate financial pressures on students (including costs connected to food and housing insecurity tied to rising education expenses) and support student success and completion.
Key provisions
1) Definition and scope of Open Educational Resources (OER)
- Adds a formal definition of OER to the law: teaching, learning, and research materials that reside in the public domain or are released under an open license, with no-cost access, use, adaptation, and redistribution.
2) Establishment of the Open Educational Resource Trust Fund
- Creates the Open Educational Resource (OER) Trust Fund within the Commonwealth.
- Purpose of the fund: support development and distribution of OER for public higher education and early college programs; reduce college costs; mitigate student hardship related to rising education costs.
- Sources of funding: appropriations designated for the fund, gifts/grants/donations, and interest earnings.
- Fund governance: administered by the Commissioner of Higher Education; raised funds must be used consistent with the OER mission; private gifts are reviewed to ensure no detrimental conditions are attached to OER implementation; reviews disclosed publicly.
3) Uses and administration of the fund
- Expenditures authorized without further appropriation by the Commissioner for:
- Development, adaptation, purchase, distribution, availability, and implementation of free curricular materials.
- Professional development and training for educators on OER use.
- Technical assistance (editors, instructional designers, accessibility specialists, etc.) and wraparound services.
- Support for department staff to run OER activities.
4) Competitive grant program
- Establishes a competitive grant program to fund OER development for students in public higher education and early college programs.
- Department staff and a Statewide OER Coordinator oversee grant review; final award decisions lie with the Commissioner.
- Priority considerations: cost savings, equity, student success.
- Institutional obligations: public institutions must inform students about OER courses funded by the fund.
- Accountability: grant recipients must report OER Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to document impact.
5) Reporting and transparency
- Annual reporting requirement: by November 1 each year, the Commissioner must file a report with the House and Senate clerks and relevant committees, detailing OER Trust Fund activities.
- Public access: the department must publish the report and materials created or used through grant awards on its website.
Impacts and who is affected
- Affected entities: public colleges and universities in Massachusetts, early college programs, faculty and staff involved in curriculum design and teaching, and students who benefit from OER materials.
- Expected outcomes: lower out-of-pocket costs for textbooks and course materials; expanded access to free, adaptable instructional resources; enhanced faculty development around OER; greater transparency about funded materials and their impact.
Implementation timeline and notes
- The fund and OER framework would be implemented through the department of higher education and related state processes.
- Interim steps include the establishment of the grant program, advisory council guidance, and annual reporting; ongoing updates may be reflected in the accompanying draft (H.4651) as of October 2025.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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