Date: Fri, 8 Mar 2024 20:04:08 -0700

The Senate finally passed the "minibus" this evening, still, to the best of my knowledge, uncluttered by the provision that would have outright forbidden funding for Nelson memo-inspired steps towards open access.  The situation is, however, slightly more complicated than my earlier posting made clear.

There is clearly some skepticism directed towards the cost of full implementation, so the requirement that OSTP report within three months on the anticipated costs of implementation still stands. Absent such a report, funding for implementation would be forbidden, but the obvious implication is that a report compliant with this requirement will be scrutinized and, should the numbers be as high as some expect, made the occasion for further debate and potential restriction on the policy.

What is not clear to me is whether the report requirement comes from the same skeptics as the outright ban or a different/overlapping community.

Jim O'Donnell
ASU