HF 406 (LSB 2170YH (4) 87)

HOUSE FILE 406

BY  BEST

A BILL FOR

An Act to require that certain postsecondary institutions provide employment and salary data to students declaring a major or enrolling in a course of study that leads to a credential or degree.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 260C.14, Code 2017, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  25.  Adopt a policy to provide to each student who enrolls in a course of study in a program or field that leads to a certificate, competency-based credential, postsecondary diploma, or associate degree, the most current employment and salary data available for the arts and sciences or career and technical program or field of study in which the student is enrolled. The data provided to the student shall include data compiled from graduate surveys administered by the community college and relevant data published by the department of workforce development, by the United States department of labor, bureau of labor statistics, or by a nationally recognized association of colleges and employers, as applicable.
    Sec. 2.  Section 261.9, subsection 1, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2017, is amended to read as follows:
   “Accredited private institution” means an institution of higher learning located in Iowa which is operated privately and not controlled or administered by any state agency or any subdivision of the state and which meets the criteria in paragraphs “a” and “b” and all of the criteria in paragraphs “d” through “i” “j”, except that institutions defined in paragraph “c” of this subsection are exempt from the requirements of paragraphs “a” and “b”:
    Sec. 3.  Section 261.9, subsection 1, Code 2017, is amended by adding the following new paragraph:
   NEW PARAGRAPH.  j.  Adopts a policy to provide to each enrolled student, who declares a major area of study in a program or field offered by the institution, the most current employment and salary data available for the student’s field of study. The data provided to the student shall include data compiled from graduate surveys administered by the institution and relevant data published by the department of workforce development, by the United States department of labor, bureau of labor statistics, or by a nationally recognized association of colleges and employers, as applicable.
    Sec. 4.  Section 262.9, Code 2017, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  39.  Develop a policy requiring each institution of higher learning governed by the board to provide to each enrolled student, who declares a major area of study in a program or field offered by the institution, the most current employment and salary data available for the student’s field of study. The data provided to the student shall include data compiled from graduate surveys administered by the institution and relevant data published by the department of workforce development, by the United States department of labor, bureau of labor statistics, or by a nationally recognized association of colleges and employers, as applicable. 
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill directs postsecondary institutions in Iowa, including community colleges, accredited private institutions, and regents universities, to provide certain students with the most current employment and salary data available for the field of study in which the student is majoring or is enrolled. The data must be compiled from graduate surveys administered by the respective institution and from relevant data published by the department of workforce development, by the United States department of labor, bureau of labor statistics, or by a nationally recognized association of colleges and employers, as applicable.