The Iowa Legislature Adjourns: End of Session Highlights
The 2021 Iowa Legislature adjourned on Wednesday, May 19. From this date, Governor Reynolds has 30 days to sign or veto legislation. This is the last government relations post on this website for this year. If you have any questions about this legislative session, please email mary.braun@uni.edu.
Highlights of budget legislation adopted this year that have an impact on UNI:
HF 868 Education Budget Bill – The Regents universities are flat funded for FY 2022. Language is added that prohibits reducing money for universities’ police departments in FY 2022.
UNI’s line items are funded as follows:
- $98,296,620 for base operations
- $6,354,848 million for STEM education
- $172,768 for the recycling and reuse center
- $123,523 for real estate education
The bill requests the legislative council to establish an interim study committee to examine the administrative costs, staffing levels, and allocation of staff at the Regents universities, as well as the graduation and student retention rates for each academic program. The study committee is to submit a report, including findings and recommendations, by December 15, 2021, for the 2022 legislative session.
The bill requires the director of the Iowa department of education, in consultation with Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduates (IJAG), to convene a task force on growing a diverse prekindergarten through grade twelve teacher base in Iowa. The task force will include representatives from public and private institutions of higher education engaged in practitioner preparation. The bill spells out their duties.
HF 871 Economic Development Budget Bill – UNI is funded at status quo level in the economic development budget bill, including the FY 21 cut to the additive manufacturing center. UNI’s line items are funded as follows:
- $3,000,000 for Regents Innovation Fund ($900,000 to UNI)
- $1,066,419 for UNI Business and Community Services (BCS)
- $394,321 for additive manufacturing center
HF 862 Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund – There are no changes to the previously enacted infrastructure funding for UNI’s Industrial Technology Center renovation: $13M in FY 22, $18M in FY 23, and $8.5M in FY 24.
Policy bills that were adopted:
HF 675 Establishes new standards for substitute teacher authorizations.
HF 744 University free speech requirements - Mandates free speech training for select campus leaders; allows for the termination of faculty who knowingly and willingly violate the free speech rights of students; and makes student government access to student funds contingent on compliance with the First Amendment.
HF 746 Veterinarian Malpractice - This bill would provide a statute of limitations for an action brought for professional negligence or malpractice against a person licensed to practice veterinary medicine.
HF 802 Racism and sexism mandatory training prohibitions - The bill prohibits race and sex stereotyping in official workplace training programs and provides “specific defined concepts” that cannot be used in such training. The bill further requires institutional heads to ensure that any mandatory staff training provided by an employee of an agency, governmental entity, or governmental subdivision, or by a contractor hired by the agency, governmental entity, or governmental subdivision does not teach, advocate, encourage, promote, or act upon stereotyping, scapegoating, or prejudice toward others on the basis of demographic group membership or identity.
HF 889 - COVID Vaccine Passport - The bill would prohibit the state or any political subdivision from including on an identification card issued information regarding COVID-19 vaccinations status of the individual. The bill would also prohibit a business or governmental entity (including Regents institutions), from requiring a customer, patron, client, patient, or other person who is invited onto the premises to furnish proof of having received a vaccination for COVID-19 prior to entering the premises of a business or governmental entity. The bill would not prohibit a business or governmental entity from implementing a COVID-19 screening protocol that does not require proof of vaccination for COVID-19.
SF 342 Omnibus law enforcement bill including officer disciplinary actions and qualified police immunity.
SF 619 Telehealth parity, Manufacturing 4.0 and other tax provisions - The bill mandates insurance companies reimburse mental health providers for telehealth visits at the same rate as in person visits.
Policy bills that did not pass:
HF 153 Requires public policy events director
HF 166 Research sponsorship disclosure
HF 222 Reduces appropriations if use 1619 Project as part of history curriculum
HF 343 Allows weapons on campus
HF 383 Medication abortions
HF 399 Requires common course numbering
HF 468 Dental and medicine admissions/medical residencies
HF 487 Medical residencies at University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics
HF 592/SF 557 Medical malpractice
HF 604 LEAD-K (Language Equality and Acquisition for Deaf Kids)
HSB 162 Prohibits requiring masks off campus
HSB 199 Requires publishing course syllabi on website for two years
HSB 246 Requires in-person spring commencement
HSB 66 Prohibits design build to be used on Regents construction projects
SF 245 Allows Name, Image and Likeness for student athletes
SF 292 Regent survey of political party