May 01, 2026
This Week at the Statehouse - Week 16
This Friday update for week 16 is going to be incomplete at this point, as the legislature is still in debate Friday night, with plans to continue session into the weekend for a potential conclusion.
The week has been spent in final negotiations on remaining policy and budgets. Here are some bills that have passed so far:
- HF 2772 - Economic Development Appropriations - Provided UNI with $1 million for the Neighboring State Rate and $600,000 to expend the Nursing Program. All other line items are status quo funding. Passed both chambers.
- HF 2783 - Education Appropriations - Line items for UNI are status quo. No additional policy language for the universities. Passed both chambers.
- SF 2218 - Employment Verification - Requires the Iowa legislature, state agencies, counties, cities, school districts, the Board of Regents, and professional licensing boards to use the federal E-Verify system for new hires and the SAVE program to verify immigration status for professional license applicants. Passed both chambers.
- HF 2754 - Charter Schools - An omnibus bill that covers a number of K-12 issues, adds UNI as a charter school authorizer along with the State Board of Education. Passed both chambers.
- HF 2711 - Affirmative Action - Revises Iowa law related to equal employment opportunity and affirmative action for state government agencies by reorganizing oversight responsibilities, updating reporting and compliance requirements, and repealing or transferring several existing statutory provisions. Passed both chambers.
- HF 2230 - Teacher Prep Programs - Requires teacher preparation programs to add specific clinical experiences, a statewide end‑of‑program assessment, program reporting requirements, and additional training for certain special education licenses. Passed both chambers.
Confirmations
Both of the governor's new appointees to the Board of Regents, Steve Lacy and Peter Cownie, were confirmed by the Senate.
Budget Bills
Two of the three budget bills that affect UNI funding were passed by both chambers. The third, Infrastructure Funding, remains in negotiations.
Education Appropriations Passed both chambers | Economic Development Appropriations Passed both chambers | Infrastructure Appropriations Still in negotiations |
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Property Taxes and Pipeline
Two major pieces of policy that are roadblocks to finishing the session still remain. Property tax reform is still in negotiations and a final plan is yet to be seen. Pipelines still remain as it did in early session.
Looking Ahead
All indications are that the legislature plans to finish session on Saturday, May 2nd.
Each week the spreadsheet below will be updated to show the latest action on the many bills that the Board of Regents staff is tracking throughout this session. Some of the below bills may not apply specifically to UNI, but we closely monitoring legislation all session that may affect our students, faculty, and campuses at all three institutions. We have been collaborating with lawmakers to ensure UNI’s voice is heard and will continue to advocate for initiatives that support our mission.
Bills that have passed both chambers and will go to the governor for signature:
| Bill Number | Bill Title | Notes | Latest Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| HF 703 | An Act concerning information regarding certain state and federal student loan programs | Passed both House and Senate | |
| HF 2230 | An Act relating to teacher education and licensing, including by modifying provisions related to practitioner preparation programs and licenses issued by the board of educational examiners | Passed both House and Senate | |
| HF 2490 | An Act relating to public notice requirements for meetings of a governmental body | Passed both House and Senate | |
| HF 2491 | A bill for an act providing for a waiver of tuition and mandatory fees at regents institutions for certain veterans with service-connected disabilities. | Passed both House and Senate | |
| HF 2500 | An Act relating to contracts entered into by state agencies and including applicability provisions | Sent to the Governor | |
| HF 2502 | An Act relating to paid parental leave for state employees | Passed both House and Senate | |
| HF 2539 | A bill for an act repealing certain programs and other matters relating to higher education. | Passed both House and Senate | |
| HF 2610 | An Act relating to education programs and systems, including career and technical education expenditures and definitions, statewide lower division general education framework and common course numbering systems, and the implementation of a statewide corequisite model in Iowa community colleges. | Passed both House and Senate | |
| HF 2670 | An Act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to summative testing in schools and the educational program provided to students enrolled in kindergarten through grade twelve. | Passed both House and Senate | |
| HF 2711 | An Act relating to state policies, programs, and licenses with race, gender, or citizenship requirements. | Passed both House and Senate | |
| HF 2754 | An Act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to charter school approval, contracts, funding, and operations, services provided to charter schools by area education agencies, charter school student participation in extracurricular activities provided by public schools, the Iowa public employees’ retirement system, education savings accounts, independent accreditation, teacher training and licensure, the statewide voluntary preschool program, the district-to-community college sharing or concurrent enrollment program, open enrollment, school tuition organizations, private instruction, and innovation zone schools; making appropriations; and including effective date and applicability provisions. | Passed both House and Senate | |
| SF 2207 | An Act relating to the submission of proposed legislation by state departments and agencies | Passed both House and Senate | |
| SF 2218 | A bill for an act relating to the verification of the identity and employment eligibility of individuals by the board of educational examiners, school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools, and including applicability provisions. | Passed both House and Senate | |
| SF 2365 | An Act relating to public improvement contracts, including notice requirements | Passed both House and Senate | |
| SF 2430 | A bill for an act relating to the display of flags at half-staff on public buildings. | Passed both House and Senate |
Updated list of bills still alive for the session:
| Bill Number | Bill Title | Notes | Latest Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| HF 175 | A bill for an 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 | On Senate Calendar | |
| HF 788 | An Act requiring state employees to provide a specimen for alcohol and drug analysis following certain motor vehicle accidents or collisions resulting in serious injury or death under certain circumstances | On Senate Calendar | |
| HF 2245 | An Act relating to selection committees for presidents of regents institutions | Companion to SF 2359 | On Senate Calendar Attached to SF 2359 |
| HF 2304 | An Act relating to indirect costs charged to state-funded grants, and including applicability provisions | Companion to SF 2386 | On House Calendar |
| HF 2361 | An Act relating to general education requirements, core curricula, other functions of regents institutions, and including applicability provisions | Companion to SF 2232 | On Senate Calendar Attached to SF 2232 |
| HF 2362 | An Act relating to tuition charged to resident undergraduate students enrolled at regents institutions | Companion to SF 2227 | On Senate Calendar Attached to SF 2227 |
| HF 2487 | An Act prohibiting courses and content relating to diversity, equity, inclusion, and critical race theory in general education requirements and core curricula at regents institutions | Companion to SF 2303 | On Senate Calendar Attached to SF 2303 |
| HF 2513 | An Act prohibiting institutions of higher education from entering into employment contracts with citizens of federally designated foreign adversaries and state sponsors of terrorism holding certain visas | House amendment added community and private colleges | On Senate Calendar |
| HF 2544 | An Act requiring annual reports on and the prohibition of antisemitism in community colleges, regents institutions, and public school districts | Companion to SF 2336 | On House Calendar |
| HF 2547 | An Act relating to career education, including by modifying provisions related to career academies, the collective statewide articulation agreement between community colleges and the state board of regents, the district-to-community college sharing or concurrent enrollment program, and individual career and academic plans | HF 2243 language amended onto HF 2547 by House - Senate amendment proposes removing it | On Senate Calendar |
| HF 2608 | An Act relating to qualifications for certain rights and privileges prescribed by the state, including state employment, professional licensure, voter registration, and bail. | Companion to SF 2412 | On House Calendar Attached to SF 2412 |
| HF 2691 | An Act relating to the ownership of artificial intelligence output and trained artificial intelligence | Companion to SF 2199 | On House Calendar |
| HF 2725 | A bill for an act relating to education reporting, including the sharing of unit-level wage data for secondary and postsecondary program evaluation, the establishment of the condition of education report, consolidating certain required reports, modifying responsibilities for the future ready Iowa last-dollar scholarship report, modifying Iowa workforce development data-sharing provisions, and creating a return on investment reporting system to be overseen by the Iowa student aid commission. | Companion to SF 2407 | On Senate Calendar Attached to SF 2407 |
| SF 2039 | An Act providing for intervention by members of the general assembly in proceedings for judicial review of agency action under the Iowa administrative procedure Act | Senate refused House amendment, returned to House | |
| SF 2199 | An Act relating to the ownership of artificial intelligence output and trained artificial intelligence | Companion to HF 2691 | On Senate Calendar |
| SF 2227 | An Act relating to tuition charged to resident undergraduate students enrolled at regents institutions | Companion to HF 2362 | On Senate Calendar Attached to HF 2362 |
| SF 2232 | An Act relating to general education requirements, core curricula, other functions of regents institutions | Companion to HF 2361 | On Senate Calendar Attached to HF 2361 |
| SF 2263 | A bill for an act relating to the carrying, transportation, and possession of weapons. | Passed by House as amended, returned to Senate | |
| SF 2303 | An Act providing for a review of undergraduate general education requirements and core curricula at regents institutions and authorizing elimination of certain required courses and course requirements | Companion to HF 2487 | On Senate Calendar Attached to HF 2487 |
| SF 2336 | A bill for an act requiring annual reports on and prohibiting antisemitism in community colleges, regents institutions, and public school districts. | Companion to HF 2544 | On Senate Calendar |
| SF 2359 | A bill for an act relating to selection committees for presidents of regents institutions. | Companion to HF 2245 | On Senate Calendar Attached to HF 2245 |
| SF 2386 | A bill for an act relating to indirect costs charged to state-funded grants, and including applicability provisions. | Companion to HF 2304 | On Senate Calendar |
| SF 2407 | A bill for an act relating to education reporting, including the sharing of unit-level wage data for secondary and postsecondary program evaluation, the establishment of the condition of education report, consolidating certain required reports, modifying responsibilities for the future ready Iowa last-dollar scholarship report, modifying Iowa workforce development data-sharing provisions, and creating a return on investment reporting system to be overseen by the Iowa student aid commission. | Companion to HF 2725 | On Senate Calendar Attached to HF 2725 |
| SF 2412 | A bill for an act relating to qualifications for state employment and professional licensure. | Companion to HF 2608 | On House Calendar Attached to HF 2608 |
| SF 2453 | A bill for an act providing for investment by regents institutions in certified innovation funds. | Passed House Amended Returned to Senate |
Bills in Appropriations and Ways and Means committees are "funnel proof," meaning they also survive the funnel. They will require passage by their respective committees to be eligible for floor debate. Here is a list of those bills:
| Bill Number | Bill Title | Notes | Latest Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| HSB 764 | An Act relating to the application for and acceptance of certain federal grants by state agencies | In House Appropriations Committee Tabled in subcommittee | |
| HSB 765 | An Act relating to the review and sale of state buildings | In House Appropriations Committee Tabled in subcommittee | |
| HF 2225 | An Act creating a new graduate nonresident tuition tax credit available against the individual income tax. | In House Ways and Means Committee | |
| HF 2240 | An Act creating an endowment tax on the endowment value of certain Iowa colleges and universities, limited charges relating to certain endowment funds, making appropriations to workforce grant and incentive programs, and making appropriations to supplement tuition grants for high-wage and high-demand jobs | In House Ways and Means Committee | |
| HF 2331 | An Act creating an attorney loan repayment program, and making appropriations | In Appropriations Committee, Passed Subcommittee 3/03 | |
| HF 2568 | A bill for an act establishing a temporary independent fiscal restructuring authority to provide oversight of institutions of higher education governed by the state board of regents. | In House Appropriations Committee | |
| HF 2663 | An Act relating to cancer research, and making appropriations | In House Appropriations Committee | |
| HF 2742 | An Act relating to reports on major maintenance projects for state infrastructure | On House Calendar | |
| HF 2758 | An Act providing a standing appropriation to the state board of regents for pediatric cancer research at the university of Iowa hospitals and clinics | In Senate Appropriations Committee | |
| HF 2772 | An Act relating to and making appropriations for the economic development of the state, including to the economic development authority, Iowa finance authority, department of workforce development, and state board of regents and certain regents institutions | Governor's Economic Development Budget - includes UNI's $1M Neighboring States and $600K Nursing Program requests | On House Calendar |
| HF 2783 | A bill for an act relating to and making appropriations to the education system, including the funding and operation of the department for the blind, department of education, state board of regents, and department of workforce development, and modifying provisions related to the Iowa special education council, the school budget review committee, and the calculation of basic enrollment, and including applicability provisions. | UNI status quo funding HF 2362 and HF 2361 language included in bill | On House Calendar |
| SSB 3183 | An Act relating to the publication of certain public notices by designated public entities, providing for fees, making appropriations | In Senate Appropriations Committee | |
| SF 2461 | A bill for an act establishing continuing appropriations in fiscal years for which the general assembly does not pass an annual budget. | On Senate Calendar | |
| SF 2482 | A bill for an act relating to and making appropriations to the education system, including the funding and operation of the department for the blind, department of education, and state board of regents. | Governor's Education Budget - includes 1.5% general fund increase for UNI | On Senate Calendar |
| SF 2484 | An Act relating to and making appropriations from the rebuild Iowa infrastructure fund and technology reinvestment fund | Governor's Infrastructure Budget - includes UNI's Commons project request | On Senate Calendar |
| SF 2485 | An Act relating to and making appropriations for the economic development of the state, including to the economic development authority, Iowa finance authority, department of workforce development, and state board of regents and certain regents institutions | Governor's Economic Development Budget - includes UNI's $1M Neighboring States and $600K Nursing Program requests | On Senate Calendar |
| SF 2501 | A bill for an act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to charter school approval, contracts, funding, and operations, services provided to charter schools by area education agencies, charter school student participation in extracurricular activities provided by public schools, the Iowa public employees’ retirement system, education savings accounts, independent accreditation, teacher training and licensure, the statewide voluntary preschool program, the district-to-community college sharing or concurrent enrollment program, open enrollment, school tuition organizations, and innovation zone schools; making appropriations; and including effective date and applicability provisions. | Companion to HF 2754 | On Senate Calendar |