Jan 16, 2026
This Week at the Statehouse
The 2026 Session of the Iowa Legislature convened this week and started off with the usual pomp and circumstance as legislators returned to the Capitol in Des Moines. The week saw speeches from Governor Reynolds in her Condition of the State Address, as well as the Condition of the Judiciary and National Guard addresses.
It also saw a quick beginning to legislation as subcommittees started on the second day of session on priority legislation identified by both the House and the Senate early on. The Governor's speech and the first day speeches by leadership in both chambers identified some common themes that will be prominent in policy discussion this year. First and foremost is property tax reform, followed closely by eminent domain and the carbon pipeline, a topic that dominated most of the last legislative session. Governor Reynolds also talked of a public health proposal she's bringing forward, and House Republicans plan to work on a "tough on crime agenda."
On the budget side of things, Governor Reynolds released her 2026 budget recommendations in conjunction with her Condition of the State Address. In it she proposed the following for UNI:
- 1.5% General Fund increase = $1.528 million
- Neighboring States Tuition Program = $1 million
- Nursing Program Expansion = $600,000
- Commons Renovation Project = $6 million
Policy-wise and specific to the Regents Universities, a large number of bills were proposed by the Higher Education Committee, in addition to the usual introduction of bills from individual legislators and other committees. Subcommittees on some of these bills also began this week.
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 do 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.
| Bill Number | Bill Title | Notes | Latest Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| HF 2009 | An Act relating to manufacturers and distributors of 340B drugs | ||
| HF 2012 | An Act authorizing resident students who are admitted to and in attendance in a comprehensive transition and postsecondary program to participate in the Iowa tuition grants program | ||
| HF 2026 | An Act relating to the display of flags on public schools and state-owned buildings | ||
| HF 2033 | An Act relating to the provision of accessible prescription-related measures for persons who are blind, have a visual impairment, or other print disability | ||
| HF 2040 | An Act relating to damage awards against health care providers | ||
| HF 2053 | An Act relating to the standardization of claim submission and reimbursement processes of managed care organizations | ||
| HF 2057 | An Act providing a standing appropriation to the state board of regents for pediatric cancer research at the university of Iowa hospitals and clinics | ||
| HF 2066 | An Act relating to the terms of service of certain statewide boards | ||
| HF 2072 | An Act relating to the prohibition of noncompete clauses in certain employment contracts entered into by the university of Iowa hospitals and clinics | ||
| HF 2084 | An Act relating to autologous and directed blood donations at blood banks and hospitals | ||
| HF 2096 | An Act relating to the disclosure of the prices charged for health services rendered by health care providers and hospitals | ||
| HF 2116 | A bill for an act relating to trainings and curricula regarding specific defined concepts provided by public institutions of higher education and school districts. | ||
| HF 2125 | A bill for an act relating to the use of the titles physician assistant and physician associate. | ||
| HF 2126 | A bill for an act relating to statute of limitations for dental malpractice claims and including applicability provisions | ||
| HF 2134 | A bill for an act relating to rental agreements and early termination rights of tenants who are victims of certain crimes | ||
| HF 2136 | A bill for an act relating to the confidentiality of library records of a minor | ||
| HF 2146 | A bill for an act relating to leaves of absence from civil public employment for members of the military | ||
| HSB 504 | An Act relating to the elimination of surgical smoke by hospitals, critical access hospitals, and ambulatory surgical centers | ||
| HSB 521 | An Act authorizing the transfer of funds to assist the state load forecasting center | ||
| HSB 522 | An Act relating to electric utility resource planning | ||
| HSB 530 | An Act relating to the bachelor of science in nursing program at the university of Iowa, including priority for admission | ||
| HSB 531 | An Act prohibiting an increase in the amount of tuition and mandatory fees charged to resident undergraduate students at regents institutions for a period of time | ||
| HSB 532 | An Act relating to the university of Iowa college of law, including priority for admission | ||
| HSB 534 | An Act relating to postsecondary education institutions, including the membership and functions of the state board of regents and accreditation of public institutions of higher education | ||
| HSB 535 | An Act prohibiting land acknowledgments by regents institutions | ||
| HSB 536 | An Act prohibiting regents institutions from entering into employment contracts with Chinese citizens holding certain visas | ||
| HSB 538 | An Act relating to selection committees for presidents of regents institutions | Passed Subcommittee 1/15/26 | |
| HSB 539 | An Act providing for a due process policy for faculty, staff, and students at regents institutions and for related disciplinary matters | ||
| HSB 540 | An Act providing for partial liability of regents institutions for defaulted educational loans | ||
| HSB 541 | An Act requiring the state board of regents to submit a report to the general assembly and the governor related to establishing a performance-based funding model for the institutions of higher education governed by the state board of regents | ||
| HSB 542 | 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 | ||
| HSB 543 | An Act relating to general education requirements, core curricula, other functions of regents institutions, and including applicability provisions | Passed Subcommittee 1/15/26 | |
| HSB 544 | 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 | ||
| HSB 545 | An Act requiring the state board of regents to conduct a study regarding the reintroduction of VEISHEA at Iowa state university | ||
| HSB 547 | An Act regarding student admission factors to regents universities | ||
| HSB 548 | An Act directing regents institutions to sign the federal Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education | ||
| HSB 549 | An Act relating to tuition charged to resident undergraduate students enrolled at regents institutions | ||
| HSB 550 | An Act providing for accreditation of regents institutions by the commission for public higher education | ||
| HSB 567 | An Act relating to public improvement contracts, including notice requirements | ||
| HSB 572 | 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 | ||
| HSB 578 | An Act relating to public notice requirements for meetings of a governmental body | ||
| HSB 580 | An Act relating to the filing of complaints with the Iowa public information board | ||
| HSB 583 | An Act relating to contracts entered into by state agencies and including applicability provisions | ||
| SF 2002 | An Act relating to tuition charged to resident undergraduate 2 students enrolled at regents institutions | ||
| SF 2031 | An Act relating to arbitrator awards concerning base wages in public employee collective bargaining and including effective date and applicability provisions | ||
| SF 2033 | An Act relating to general education requirements, core curricula, other functions of regents institutions | ||
| SF 2037 | An Act relating to the submission of proposed legislation by state departments and agencies | ||
| 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 | ||
| SF 2041 | An Act providing for payroll deduction for membership dues to an employee organization under public employee collective bargaining, and including applicability provisions | ||
| SF 2049 | An Act relating to autologous and directed blood donations at blood banks and hospitals | ||
| SF 2063 | 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 | ||
| SF 2076 | A bill for an act relating to a waiver of tuition and mandatory fees at accredited private institutions and regents institutions for students during student teaching experiences in the state. | ||
| SSB 3006 | An Act providing for career development information for students newly enrolling in institutions of higher education and including applicability provisions | ||
| SSB 3013 | An Act relating to the ownership of artificial intelligence output and trained artificial intelligence | ||
| SSB 3014 | An Act relating to the use of artificial intelligence systems and related software by state agencies for employment and other purposes | ||
| SSB 3030 | An Act relating to contracts entered into by state agencies and including applicability provisions | ||
| SSB 3032 | An Act relating to paid parental leave for state employees | ||
| SSB 3049 | 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 |