Bill
HB 3411
Creates a recurring $3,000,000 annual grant, administered by the Secretary of State, to Illinois academic libraries for Open Educational Resources starting July 1, 2025.
HB 3411 Summary (Illinois, 104th General Assembly)
Overview
- Purpose: Establish a recurring, permanent grant program to support Illinois academic libraries, with grants directed to Open Educational Resources (OER).
- Streamlined aim: Promote access to affordable, openly licensed teaching and learning materials across Illinois higher education institutions.
- Primary fiscal mechanism: Appropriates $3,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Secretary of State to fund the program.
- Effective date: July 1, 2025.
What the bill would do
- Section 5: Creates a recurring, permanent grant program funded by a $3 million General Revenue Fund appropriation.
- Administration: Grants to be administered by the Secretary of State.
- Use of funds: Grants must be applied toward Open Educational Resources (OER) to support Illinois academic libraries.
Fiscal and programmatic specifics
- Amount: $3,000,000 (or as much of that sum as necessary).
- Source: General Revenue Fund.
- Recipient/administration: Secretary of State.
- Eligible use: Open Education Resources related to academic library programs and initiatives.
- Permanence: Describes the program as recurring and permanent, indicating ongoing annual funding rather than a one-time grant.
Beneficiaries and impact
- Primary beneficiaries: Illinois academic libraries (colleges and universities) that participate in or implement OER programs.
- Potential impacts: Reduced student costs through adoption of OER; expanded access to affordable course materials; stronger library-based support for open-access instructional resources.
Implementation and timeline
- Introduction and sponsorship:
- Introduced: February 18, 2025 (HB3411, Norma Hernandez et al.)
- Co-sponsors added: Rep. Diane Blair-Sherlock (Feb 13), Rep. Anne Stava (Feb 19), Rep. Michael Crawford (Feb 19)
- Legislative actions:
- Feb 18: Referred to Rules Committee (initially)
- Feb 19: Co-sponsors added
- Feb 26: Filed
- Mar 11: Assigned to Appropriations-General Services Committee
- Mar 21: Read first time; Referred to Public Education
- Jul 1: Rule 19(b) / Re-referred to Rules Committee
- Status: Rule 19(b) / Re-referred to Rules Committee (as of the latest available update)
Notes
- The bill text specifies the appropriation and the purpose (OER) but does not provide details on eligibility criteria for libraries, grant administration procedures, reporting requirements, or application processes. Those operational details would typically be established in implementing rules or subsequent legislation.
In short, HB 3411 would create a $3 million annual grant program administered by the Secretary of State to support Illinois academic libraries in adopting Open Educational Resources, with an effective start date of July 1, 2025. The bill is currently in Rules Committee after initial legislative actions.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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