Feb 11, 2024

This Week in the Statehouse- Week 5

With funnel week approaching at the end of week 6, week 5 of the legislative session was full of subcommittee and committee meetings. Legislation from committee chairs, individual members of the House and Senate, the Governor's office, and state agencies and departments continue to be filed daily, requiring them to be fast-tracked through the subcommittee and committee process. First funnel is February 16th and bills need to make it through the committee process prior to this date to remain eligible. This link will provide a complete list of bills the Board of Regents are tracking (in the box marked as lobbyist type in Jillian Carlson or in the client box type in Iowa Board of Regents).

Action on Notable Bills

  • SF 2260 is the Governor's proposed workforce bill. The bill makes changes to the Future Ready Iowa Last Dollar Scholarship program, creates a workforce opportunity fund, and makes changes to work-based learning programs. In addition to these changes, the bill also makes changes to student teaching for teacher preparation program candidates. An individual who has a substitute license or authorization or an individual with a para-educator certificate would be eligible to reduce their student teaching experience from the 14 weeks required under current law down to 4 weeks. This bill passed out of both the subcommittee and committee in the Senate during week 5. 
  • HF 255 passed Senate Education Committee and is now eligible to be considered by the full Senate. The bill outlines requirements for programs offered by institutions of higher education designed to help a student obtain a teacher intern license through an alternative licensure pathway. The bill also includes parameters for other organizations who offer alternative teacher certification programs, such as the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence, creating a pathway for these organizations to enter the state. 
  • HF 2330 adds specific curriculum requirements to the code for social studies instruction for grades 1-12. The bill also directs regent institutions to require all students to take a civics exam. If the student does not pass the examination, the bill provides that the institution must require the student to take a remedial civics course. This bill passed subcommittee this week and is eligible to be considered by the full House Education committee. 
  • HSB 650 is the Governor's proposed literacy/science of reading bill. The bill requires teacher preparation programs to administer the Massachusetts Foundations of Reading assessment to all teacher preparation program candidates. In order to be eligible both for licensure and for graduation from the program, the student must pass the assessment. The minimum passing score for the assessment will be set by the Iowa Department of Education, who will also report the percentages of students who passed and failed the assessment.  
  • HF 2327 was filed on Monday with 35 House Republicans signing on as sponsors. The bill is the higher education reform bill that has been mentioned by several House Republicans, including Speaker Grassley, since the start of session. The bill includes six primary components: 
    • 1. Creates a Work+ program for community college and regent institutions which allows students to work part-time for an employer and make at least minimum wage while earning their degree and requires employers to pay for the student’s tuition and fees
    • 2. Adds two legislators as non-voting members of the board, one appointed by the Speaker of the House and one appointed by the Majority Leader of the Senate
    • 3. Requires the use of a presidential selection committee when selecting institutional heads. The committee would be made up solely of members of the board and requires the identify of candidates to be confidential
    • 4. Caps tuition increases at 3% 
    • 5. Prohibits the institutions from hiring any administrators without board approval
    • 6. Codifies the DEI policies adopted by the board in November 

Upcoming Dates

  • February 12– President Nook, along with President Wintersteen (ISU) and President Wilson (UI), present to the Education Appropriations Subcommittee and UNI's Business and Community Services presents to the House Transportation, Infrastructure, and Capitals Appropriations Subcommittee
  • February 16- First Funnel Deadline- Bills not reported out of their originating committee by this date are no longer eligible for consideration (does not apply to budget, tax or oversight bills)
  • March 5 –UNI Day on the Hill 
  • March 15 – Second Funnel – House bills not passed out of Senate committees and Senate bills not passed out of House committees are no longer eligible for consideration (does not apply to budget, tax or oversight bills)
  • April 16– 100th Calendar Day (lawmaker per diem expenses end)