Mar 07, 2025

This Week at the Statehouse

Every year, new legislation is introduced that may significantly impact the Iowa Board of Regents System, either directly or indirectly. On average, the Board of Regents registers a position on more than 300 bills annually. Because of this, the Iowa Board of Regents authorized the creation of the new Regent Legislative Committee at their meeting on February 27th. The committee will hold weekly meetings on Fridays at 10 am starting on March 14th that are open to the public. To watch the weekly meetings, please visit the Iowa Board of Regents website

This week was the first funnel deadline at the Statehouse, meaning any bills that did not make it out of a committee or that have not been referred to Ways and Means or Appropriations are no longer eligible. At the University of Northern Iowa, we have been closely monitoring legislation that may affect our students, faculty, and campus priorities. We have been committed to collaborating with lawmakers to ensure UNI’s voice is heard and to advocate for initiatives that support our mission and the future of Iowa’s workforce. For the list of bills the Board of Regents is monitoring as of March 6 that are still eligible for consideration post-funnel, please see below:

BillDescriptionStatus 
HF 36An Act relating to interpretation of law in administrative and judicial proceedings under the Iowa administrative procedure Act.Passed Committee
HF 175An Act relating to in-state residency for purposes of undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees at regents institutions and community colleges for certain military personnel and family members.Passed House Floor, Awaiting Senate Action, Previously HSB 6
HF 177Act relating to assaults, including assaults on persons engaged in certain occupations and inmate assaults on department of corrections employees, and providing penalties.Passed Committee, Previously HSB 24
HF 203Act creating a Caitlin Clark and Lisa Bluder monument tax credit and fund available against the individual and corporate income taxes, the franchise tax, the insurance premiums tax, and the moneys and credits tax.No Action
HF 259An Act relating to public notice requirements for meetings of a governmental body.Passed Committee, Previously HSB 75
HF 269An Act prohibiting certain requirements for students and faculty at regents institutions relating to diversity, equity, inclusion, and critical race theory and including applicability provisions.Passed Committee, Previously HSB 53
HF 270An Act requiring regents institutions to make certain course syllabus information available to the public online and including effective date provisions.Passed Committee, Previously HSB 55
HF 271An Act establishing the comprehensive transition and postsecondary program scholarship program and making appropriations.Passed Committee, Previously HF 97
HF 295An Act relating to accreditation of postsecondary educational institutions, prohibiting adverse action by accrediting agencies against certain postsecondary educational institutions for compliance with state law, providing remedies, and including effective date provisions.Passed Committee, Previously HSB 57
HF 296An Act providing for public availability of certain financial information of regents institutions and including effective date provisions.Passed Committee, Previously HSB 59
HF 299An Act relating to the provision of information relating to immunization exemptions.Passed Committee, Previously HF 34
HF 301An Act requiring the university of Iowa hospitals and clinics to give priority to certain Iowa residents in awarding certain residencies and fellowships and to include rural rotations in certain residencies and fellowships.Passed Committee, Previously HF 147
HF 310An Act relating to assaults on persons engaged in certain occupations including a health care provider, and making penalties applicable.Passed Committee, Previously HSB 9
HF 379An Act relating to medical residency positions and audition clinicals for medical students and medical residency position applicants meeting certain criteria.Passed Committee, Previously HF 12
HF 386An Act providing for a study of transitioning certain medical schools in Iowa from four-year programs to three-year programs.Passed Committee, Previously HF 146
HF 400An Act relating to public records requests.Passed Committee, Previously HSB 76
HF 401An Act providing for general education requirements for undergraduate students at regents institutions and including applicability provisions.Passed Committee, Previously HSB 63
HF 402An Act establishing completion of a course on American history and civil government as a requirement for the completion of  a baccalaureate degree program at a public institution of higher education.Passed Committee, Previously HSB 56
HF 420An Act providing for a review by the state board of regents of  academic programs offered at regents institutions.Passed Committee, Previously HSB 50
HF 437An Act establishing a school of intellectual freedom at the university of Iowa.Passed Committee, Previously HSB 52
HF 440An Act relating to tuition, degree programs, employment, and related matters pertaining to students enrolled at regents institutions.Passed Committee, Previously HSB 51
HF 469An Act relating to state services and benefits provided to veterans, including state grants, public assistance programs, business fee waivers, substance use disorder programs, mental health and disability services, undergraduate tuition and fees, disabled veteran tax credits, department of natural resources’ licenses and fees, civil litigation priority, permit to carry weapons fees, vehicle registration fees, and driver’s licenses, making penalties applicable, making appropriations, and including effective date provisions.Passed Committee
HF 4721 An Act creating a special motion for expedited relief in actions involving the exercise of the right of freedom of speech and of the press, the right to assemble and petition, and the right of association, and including applicability provisions.Passed Committee, Previously HSB 116
HF 516An Act establishing requirements relating to the residency of persons accepted for admission to the state university of Iowa’s colleges of medicine, nursing, and dentistry and requiring an annual report.Passed Committee, Previously HF 137
HF 571An Act relating to protections for medical practitioners, health care institutions, and health care payors including those related to the exercise of conscience, whistleblower activities, and free speech, and providing penalties.Passed Committee, Previously HSB 139
HF 575An Act requiring reporting by regents institutions of funding from certain foreign sources and including effective date provisions.Passed Committee, Previously HSB 54
HF 576An Act providing penalties for certain nonimmigrant visa holders attending or employed by certain institutions of higher education who express support for certain terrorist activities or organizations and including effective date provisions.Passed Committee, Previously HF 115
HF 577An Act providing for a waiver of undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees and a stipend at regents institutions for Iowa residents who receive the maximum score on certain standardized tests.Passed Committee, Previously HF 154
HF 584An Act relating to the opioid settlement fund, establishing the opioid epidemic response advisory council, making appropriations, and including effective date provisions.No Action
HF 694An Act relating to the display of flags on and in public buildings, grounds, and vehicles, and providing penalties.No Action
HF 701An Act relating to a review of anti-obesity medications by the department of health and human services for purposes of the medical assistance program.Passed Committee, Previously HSB 209
HF 703An Act concerning information regarding certain state and federal student loan programs.Passed Committee, Previously HSB 152
HF 706An Act relating to open meetings and open records, providing penalties, and making penalties applicable.Passed Committee, Previously HF 416
HF 754An Act relating to health care including a funding model for  the rural health care system; the elimination of several health care-related award, grant, residency, and fellowship programs; establishment of a health care professional incentive program; Medicaid graduate medical education; the health facilities council; and the Iowa health information network, making appropriations, and including effective date provisions.Passed Committee, Previously HSB 191
HF 768An Act relating to the filing of complaints with the Iowa public information board.Passed Committee, Previously HSB 77
HF 784An Act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to mathematics instruction, practitioner preparation programs, and the duties of the director of the department of education.Passed Committee, Previously HSB 137
HF 787An Act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to the calculation of the teacher salary supplement district cost per pupil, teacher preparation requirements, out-of-state placement of certain specified students requiring special education, the duties of the department of education, and minimum teacher salaries, and including effective date provisions.Passed Committee, Previously HSB 147
HF 802An Act relating to the right to try Act.Passed Committee, Previously HSB 320
HF 806An Act relating to peer review committees and organ procurement organizations.Passed Committee, Previously HSB 121
HF 807An Act creating the compassion and care for medically challenging pregnancies Act.Passed Committee, Previously HF 589
HSB 71An Act relating to contracts entered into by state agencies and including applicability provisions.Passed Committee
HSB 78An Act relating to government employee paid leave.Passed Committee
HSB 112Act providing for the continuation of health insurance in certain circumstances for the surviving spouse and each surviving child of employees of the state of Iowa.Passed Committee
HSB 123An Act relating to energy systems by modifying electric power generation, energy storage, and transmission facility ratemaking principles, creating tariffs for public utility innovation programs, implementing land restoration standards, including right of first refusal, modifying the energy infrastructure revolving loan program, and creating regulations for anaerobic digester systems, making appropriations, providing penalties, and including effective date and applicability provisions.Passed Committee
HSB 153An Act relating to services and support for youth, including treatment, physical assessments, and behavioral health evaluations; exemptions from children’s residential facility certification; the director of juvenile court services and chief juvenile court officers; and suspension of Hawki eligibility for public institution inmates.Passed Committee
HSB 201An Act relating to administrative investigations under the peace officer, public safety, and emergency personnel bill of rights, civil service disciplinary hearings and appeals, and communications in professional confidence, and including effective date provisions.Passed Committee
HSB 225An Act providing for regulation of certain noncoal mine sites, including the reclamation of land above active underground mine sites disturbed by the formation of sinkholes, making penalties applicable, and including effective date provisions.Passed Subcommittee
HSB 244An Act concerning the display of the national league of families POW/MIA flag.Passed Committee
HSB 245An Act providing for the conduct of licensed veterinarians when involved in certain legal matters involving the alleged mistreatment of animals, including by providing for immunity from administrative, civil, or criminal liability when acting in good faith; providing for administrative, civil, or criminal liability when not acting in good faith; and making penalties applicable.Passed Committee
HSB 266An Act concerning retirement and employment benefits associated with cancer, and making appropriations.Passed Committee
HSB 277An Act providing for a study of establishing an institution of higher education governed by the state board of regents in Pottawattamie county or a contiguous county.Passed Committee
SF 6An Act relating to the provision of information relating to immunization exemptions.Passed Committee
SF 47An Act creating a special motion for expedited relief in actions involving the exercise of the right of freedom of speech and of the press, the right to assemble and petition, and the right of association, and including applicability provisions.Passed Committee
SF 48An Act relating to the reporting of serious reportable events, and providing penalties.Passed Committee
SF 180An Act relating to the right to refuse certain medical services for reasons of conscience.Passed Committee
SF 220An Act relating to protections for medical practitioners, health care institutions, and health care payors including those related to the exercise of conscience, whistleblower activities, and free speech, and providing penalties.Passed Committee
SF 231An Act relating to prior authorizations and exemptions by health benefit plans and utilization review organizations.Passed Committee, Previously SSB 1016
SF 233An Act relating to the right to try Act.Passed Committee, Previously SF 56
SF 274An Act relating to forms of payment for entry into an extracurricular interscholastic athletic contest or competition.Passed Committee
SF 288An Act relating to students who are pregnant or who recently gave birth who attend state institutions of higher education governed by the board of regents and community colleges.Passed Committee, Previously SF 12
SF 297An Act relating to contracts entered into by state agencies and including applicability provisions.Passed Committee, Previously SSB 1090
SF 315Act relating to pharmacy benefits manager reverse auctions and group insurance for public employees.Passed Committee, Previously SSB 1017
SF 319An Act relating to certain cost controls for health care services.Passed Committee, Previously SSB 1029
SF 386An Act relating to the filing of complaints with the Iowa public information board.Passed Committee, Previously SSB 1085
SF 388An Act relating to public notice requirements for meetings of a governmental body.Passed Committee, Previously SSB 1087
SF 389An Act relating to public records requests.Passed Committee, Previously SSB 1086
SF 397An Act relating to assaults, including assaults on persons engaged in certain occupations and inmate assaults on department of corrections employees, and providing penalties.Passed Committee, Previously SSB 1058
SF 442An Act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to the calculation of the teacher salary supplement district cost per pupil, teacher preparation requirements, out-of-state placement of certain specified students requiring special education, the duties of the department of education, and minimum teacher salaries, and including effective date provisions.Passed Committee, Previously SSB 1100
SF 450An Act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to mathematics instruction, civics assessments, practitioner preparation programs, and the duties of the director of the department of education.Passed Committee, Previously SSB 1092
SF 469An Act creating an emeritus license to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery.Passed Committee, Previously SSB 1121
SF 472An Act relating to retention and recertification elections for public employee collective bargaining units and including effective date and applicability provisions.Passed Committee, Previously SSB 1172
SF 474An Act relating to services and support for youth, including treatment, physical assessments, and behavioral health evaluations; exemptions from children’s residential facility certification; the director of juvenile court services and chief juvenile court officers; and suspension of Hawki eligibility for public institution inmatesPassed Committee, Previously SSB 1120
SF 475An Act imposing a tax on certain products containing nicotine or nonnicotine substances, creating the Iowa cancer research fund, and including effective date provisions.Passed Committee, Referred to Ways and Means
SF 487An Act relating to employer recordkeeping and auditing requirements for purposes of unemployment insurance and including applicability provisions.Passed Committee, Previously SSB 1165
SF 491An Act prohibiting the use of remotely piloted aircraft flying over farm property, and making penalties applicable.Passed Committee, Previously SSB 1191
SF 519An Act establishing a school of intellectual freedom at the university of Iowa.Passed Committee, Previously SF 127
SF 552An Act relating to a review of anti-obesity medications by the department of health and human services and the department of administrative services for purposes of the medical assistance program and health insurance plans for public employees.Passed Committee, Previously SSB 1138
SSB 1039An Act providing for the continuation of health insurance in certain circumstances for the surviving spouse and each surviving child of employees of the state of Iowa.Passed Committee
SSB 1163An Act relating to health care including a funding model for the rural health care system; the elimination of several health care-related award, grant, residency, and fellowship programs; establishment of a health care professional incentive program; Medicaid graduate medical education; the health facilities council; and the Iowa health information network, making appropriations, and including effective date provisions.Passed Committee
SSB 1208An Act relating to local government property taxes, financial authority, and budgets, modifying appropriations, and including effective date, applicability, and retroactive applicability provisions.No Action