Lost, damaged texts may get more costly

Apr 15, 2009 1 min read

TALLAHASSEE (AP) – The Florida Senate has voted to make it more costly for Florida’s public school students who lose or damage textbooks.

Present law requires that students or their parents pay 50 to 75 percent of replacement costs. The Senate, though, unanimously passed a bill (SB 1248) that would require 100 percent payments.

The bill next goes to the House, where a similar measure (HB 813) has cleared committee.

The sponsor, Sen. Stephen Wise, said if students cannot afford to replace a book, they might be made to work off their debt. The Jacksonville Republican suggested such tasks as scraping gum off the bottom of desks.