All Roll Calls
Yes: 97 • No: 47
IowaHF 29591st General Assembly (2025–2026)HouseWALLET
A bill for an act relating to accreditation of postsecondary educational institutions, prohibiting adverse action by accrediting agencies against certain postsecondary educational institutions for compliance with state law, providing remedies, and including effective date provisions. (Formerly HSB 57.) Effective date: 05/06/2025.
Sponsored By: COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION
Signed by Governor
education
Your PRIA Score
Score Hidden
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
More colleges qualify for Iowa tuition grants
Beginning May 6, 2025, a school can qualify for Iowa tuition grants if it is accredited by any federally recognized accreditor, not just the Higher Learning Commission. The law also makes clear that certain specialized health colleges tied to Iowa health systems count if accredited. If you attend a newly eligible school, you may be able to get state grant help.
Public colleges protected from accreditor retaliation
Beginning May 6, 2025, accreditors cannot punish Iowa’s public colleges for following state law or refusing to break it. Public colleges include regents universities and community colleges. If an accreditor violates this rule, the attorney general can sue, or can allow the college to sue in Iowa. Courts can order an injunction, and award court costs and reasonable attorney fees. The law also sets damages equal to the federal student aid the college received in the prior academic year. It defines “accrediting agency” and “public institution of higher education” to make these rules clear.
Community college reviews aligned with accreditors
Beginning May 6, 2025, Iowa aligns community college program reviews with a federally recognized accreditor chosen by the state board. Reviews follow the accreditor’s cycles, self-studies, and criteria, with added Iowa standards where needed. This aims to streamline reviews and reduce program disruption for students.
More options for emergency medical training
Beginning May 6, 2025, more groups can apply to run emergency medical care training that leads to certification. Iowa colleges accredited by any federally recognized accreditor, Iowa hospitals, and authorized ambulance or nontransport services can seek approval from the department. This can give learners more local course options to enter the field.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION
Affiliation unavailable
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 4/17/2025
Passed Senate
Yes: 32 • No: 15
House vote • 3/18/2025
Passed House
Yes: 65 • No: 32
Actions Timeline
Signed by Governor.
5/6/2025GovernorReported correctly enrolled, signed by Speaker and President, and sent to Governor.
5/6/2025SenateMessage from Senate.
4/17/2025SenateImmediate message.
4/17/2025legislaturePassed Senate, yeas 32, nays 15.
4/17/2025SenatePlaced on calendar under unfinished business.
4/10/2025legislaturePlaced on calendar.
4/7/2025legislatureCommittee report, recommending passage.
4/7/2025legislatureSubcommittee recommends passage.
4/1/2025legislatureSubcommittee Meeting: 04/01/2025 8:30AM Room 315.
3/31/2025legislatureSubcommittee: Gruenhagen, Taylor, and Winckler.
3/26/2025legislatureRead first time, referred to Education.
3/19/2025legislatureMessage from House.
3/19/2025HouseImmediate message.
3/18/2025legislatureExplanation of vote.
3/18/2025legislaturePassed House, yeas 65, nays 32.
3/18/2025HouseIntroduced, placed on calendar.
2/10/2025legislature
Bill Text
As Introduced
Enrolled
Related Bills
SF 2411 — A bill for an act establishing an Iowa-Ireland trade commission. (Formerly SF 2268.) Effective date: 07/01/2026.
HF 2357 — A bill for an act relating to statutory corrections that adjust language to reflect current practices, correct grammar, insert earlier omissions, delete redundancies and inaccuracies, resolve inconsistencies and conflicts, remove ambiguities, and establish Code editor directives. (Formerly HSB 615.) Effective date: 07/01/2026.
HF 2619 — A bill for an act creating the uniform family law arbitration Act. (Formerly HF 2277.) Effective date: 07/01/2026.
HF 2680 — A bill for an act relating to certified medication aides. (Formerly HSB 729.) Effective date: 07/01/2026.
HF 2227 — A bill for an act relating to land restoration following the initial construction of electric transmission lines, and including effective date and retroactive applicability provisions. (Formerly HSB 526.) Effective date: 04/16/2026. Applicability date: 07/01/2024.
HF 2500 — A bill for an act relating to contracts entered into by state agencies and including applicability provisions. (Formerly HSB 583.) Effective date: 07/01/2026. Applicability date: 07/01/2026.