HF 2226 requires the University of Iowa's Bachelor of Science in Nursing program to accept at least 80% of students who graduated from Iowa high schools. It mandates admission priority for these Iowa high school graduates and requires applicants to state whether they graduated from an Iowa high school or plan to work in Iowa after graduation. The university must submit annual reports to Iowa lawmakers showing acceptance rates for Iowa applicants and brief reasons for denials (while keeping personal data confidential under federal privacy laws). This bill directly affects nursing program applicants and the University of Iowa's admissions process.
House File 1010 establishes an annual authorization fee for certain postsecondary educational institutions in Iowa. This bill requires the college student aid commission to collect a nonrefundable fee from entities that are authorized by the commission but do not currently pay a registration fee. These include institutions exempt from certain registration requirements or those offering educational courses, excluding some driver education providers. The annual fee is $2,000 for entities with a primary location in Iowa and $3,500 for those located outside of Iowa. The commission may increase these fees by up to three percent annually, commencing with the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025.
HF 2529 requires manufacturers of farm equipment with diesel exhaust fluid systems to provide owners (farmers, lessees, or licensees) with free diagnostic and repair information, including software updates, on the same terms they offer to their authorized repair providers. It also mandates that manufacturers make replacement parts and diagnostic tools available for purchase at fair, reasonable prices comparable to those offered to authorized repair providers in the same region. The bill does not force manufacturers to disclose trade secrets or override existing agreements, but voids contracts that waive these new rights. This directly affects farmers who operate diesel-powered agricultural equipment requiring emissions control systems.
HF 2684 allows Iowa school districts to use specific state funds tied to students enrolled in the education savings account program for any general school purpose starting in 2026, rather than being restricted to teacher salaries, professional development, or leadership programs. These funds, currently designated for limited uses under sections 257.10(9), (10), and (12), would gain full flexibility for districts after July 1, 2026. The bill directly affects school districts receiving these categorical funds from savings account participants. It removes prior requirements for how these funds must be spent, enabling districts to allocate them toward general operational needs like facilities, technology, or other non-specific expenses. The change applies only to funds attributable to resident pupils in the savings account program.
HF 2705 modifies Iowa school governance rules to clarify school board procedures and access to information. It requires school boards to publish meeting details online, allows board members to review curriculum and professional development materials (but not individual teacher plans), and changes how vacancies are filled (requiring notice of potential special elections). The bill also permits superintendents to hire support staff using electronic contracts and updates school improvement committee responsibilities. These changes directly affect school boards, district administrators, and local school governance structures across Iowa.
HF 2719 requires Iowa’s state commissioner of elections to collect and publish specific, data-driven performance metrics for district court judges, including bond-setting patterns, release decisions for violent vs. nonviolent offenses, sentencing comparisons, reversal rates, case processing times, and case disposal rates. The bill directly affects all district court judges, associate juvenile judges, and associate probate judges in Iowa by mandating public disclosure of these metrics in an online, searchable format with machine-readable data. Key provisions include adding reliability warnings for metrics based on small case volumes, requiring a methodology report explaining how data is adjusted, and including a mandatory disclaimer noting that statistics reflect case complexity more than judicial correctness. The information is intended to inform voters during judicial retention elections, with judges also allowed to add brief personal statements about their philosophy.
SF 448 modifies Iowa's requirements for school bus driver authorization. It changes the current rule so that school bus drivers are no longer automatically required to complete a department-approved training course. Instead, individual school districts can choose whether to require the course for new or existing drivers. If a district does require it, drivers must complete the course within six months of hire and every two years after, or risk losing their authorization. Drivers who lose authorization due to this requirement can regain it without completing the course if hired by a district that doesn't mandate the training.
HF 989 establishes a new regulatory framework for anaerobic digester systems used in animal feeding operations. The bill defines various terms related to these systems, including digester manure, feedstock, and digestate. It grants a state department the authority to create rules for the on-farm construction, expansion, storage, stockpiling, and application of materials associated with anaerobic digesters. These regulations aim to manage organic materials originating from animal feeding operations, and the bill also provides for fees and applicable penalties.
HF 851 requires all Iowa public and nonpublic schools offering kindergarten through grade 12 to include specific nutrition education in their health curricula. It mandates that students learn about the importance, benefits, and role of animal-based proteins, dairy, vegetables, and fruits in a balanced diet across multiple grade levels. The bill also modifies career and technical education to include agriculture, food, and natural resources instruction, emphasizing local food sourcing. These changes apply to all schools meeting state curriculum standards, with requirements beginning in the 2023-2024 school year for certain grades.
HF 2242 prohibits Iowa's regents-controlled public universities from raising tuition for resident undergraduate students starting upon the bill's enactment and continuing until July 1, 2031. This directly affects in-state undergraduate students at institutions like the University of Iowa, Iowa State, and others under the state board of regents. The key provision requires the board of regents to enforce a tuition freeze during this period, with the prohibition automatically ending on the specified date. The bill takes immediate effect once signed into law.
SF 2439 prohibits local building codes from requiring fire sprinkler systems in new attached single-family homes of 18,000 square feet or less and new detached single-family homes of 6,500 square feet or less. The bill mandates that the state building code must include this prohibition, overriding any local regulations that might have required sprinklers in these specific property types. It directly affects homeowners and builders constructing qualifying small single-family residences in Iowa by eliminating a mandatory sprinkler system requirement. The policy change simplifies building code compliance for these properties without altering fire safety standards for larger residential developments.
HF 2520 modifies how Iowa counties and cities fill vacancies in elected offices like county supervisors or city council members. It allows appointed officials to serve temporarily until the next election, but gives residents the right to petition for a special election if at least six months remain in the unexpired term. For anticipated resignations more than 73 days before a general election, the bill requires the office to appear on the ballot with "To Fill Vacancy" and the winner serves the remaining term. The bill affects county boards, city councils, and residents who can trigger special elections through petition signatures.
