The legislative session continues to gain momentum with new bills being introduced and debated each week. On Tuesday, I attended a subcommittee meeting to track proposals that could impact Iowa’s community colleges. Lawmakers are considering a range of policies, from workforce development initiatives to changes in higher education governance. As new bills emerge, it's crucial to analyze their potential effects on students, faculty, and institutions across the state. We’ll be keeping a close eye on key legislation and advocating for policies that support accessibility and affordability in higher education. Stay tuned for updates as the session progresses.
NEW BILLS!
House Study Bill 138 establishes the SSA for K-12 schools at 2.25%; right now, the Senate has the SSA at 2%. While this does not directly impact the community college space, it does give us a starting point for where our SGA increase will be. Senate File 81 focuses on electronic resources by establishing requirements for educational institutions that could impact our concurrent enrollment operations. Senate Study Bill 1086 focuses on public records requests and provides that upon receipt of a public records request, the lawful custodian shall (1) promptly acknowledge the request and provide the contact information of the lawful custodian's authorized designee, (2) provide an approximate date for a response and an estimate of any reasonable fees associated with the request, and (3) inform the requester of any expected delay in production of the public record. Senate Study Bill 1087 focuses on public notice requirements and requires a governmental body to provide notice if a meeting is canceled. Senate Study Bill 1092 is the Governor's version of the civics bill that provides that individuals seeking a high school equivalency diploma must pass a test that consists of the multiple-choice questions contained in the most recent version of the civics test developed by the United States citizenship and immigration services.
For more information or to stay up-to-date, on our bill watch, click here!
For exclusive access to legislative updates on a daily (not weekly) basis, please sign up for our Grassroots Action Advocacy Center, Quorum.