HSB 563 (LSB 5357XD (5) 90)

SENATE/HOUSE FILE _____

BY  (PROPOSED DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION BILL)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the college student aid commission’s reporting requirements.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 256.177, subsection 8, Code 2024, is amended to read as follows:
   8.  Submit by January 15 annually a report to the general assembly which provides, by program, the number of individuals who received loan forgiveness or loan repayment state financial aid funding in the previous fiscal year, the amounts paid to or on behalf of the individuals under sections 256.205, 256.220, and 256.224, and the institutions from which individuals graduated, and that includes any proposed statutory changes and the commission’s, other key program indicators, findings, and recommendations.  The report shall also include a description of the methodology and manner in which the commission makes the determination of awards for programs for which moneys are appropriated under section 256.194.
    Sec. 2.  Section 256.189, Code 2024, is amended to read as follows:
   256.189  Administration by commission —— rules.
   1.  The commission shall administer this program and shall do all of the following:
   1.  a.  Provide application forms and parents’ confidential statement forms.
   2.  b.  Adopt rules and regulations for determining financial need, defining tuition and mandatory fees, defining residence for the purposes of this subpart, processing and approving applications for tuition grants, and determining priority of grants. The commission may provide for proration of funds if the available funds are insufficient to pay all approved grants. Such proration shall take primary account of the financial need of the applicant. In determining who is a resident of Iowa, the commission’s rules shall be at least as restrictive as those of the board of regents.
   3.  c.  Approve and award tuition grants.
   4.  2.  Make an annual report to the governor and general assembly, and evaluate the tuition grant program for the period. The commission may require the an accredited private institution to promptly furnish any information which the commission may request in connection with the tuition grant program.
    Sec. 3.  Section 256.192, subsection 7, paragraph d, Code 2024, is amended by striking the paragraph.
    Sec. 4.  Section 256.193, subsection 4, Code 2024, is amended by striking the subsection.
    Sec. 5.  Section 256.197, subsection 10, Code 2024, is amended by striking the subsection.
    Sec. 6.  Section 256.216, subsection 5, Code 2024, is amended by striking the subsection.
    Sec. 7.  Section 256.219, subsection 9, Code 2024, is amended by striking the subsection.
    Sec. 8.  Section 256.220, subsection 5, Code 2024, is amended by striking the subsection.
    Sec. 9.  Section 256.224, subsection 7, Code 2024, is amended by striking the subsection.
    Sec. 10.  Section 256.225, subsection 8, Code 2024, is amended by striking the subsection.
    Sec. 11.  Section 256.227, subsection 8, paragraph d, Code 2024, is amended by striking the paragraph.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill relates to the college student aid commission’s reporting requirements.
   Current law requires the college student aid commission to submit an annual report to the general assembly which provides, by program, the number of individuals who received loan forgiveness or loan repayment in the previous fiscal year; the amounts paid to or on behalf of individuals under the chiropractic loan forgiveness program, the teacher shortage loan forgiveness program, and the health care award program; the institutions from which individuals graduated; and proposed statutory changes. The bill modifies these reporting requirements to require the college student aid commission to submit an annual report to the general assembly which provides, by program, the number of individuals who received state financial aid funding in the previous fiscal year, the amounts paid to or on behalf of the individuals, other key program indicators, findings, and recommendations. The bill provides that this report is to include a description of the methodology and manner in which the college student aid commission makes the determination of awards for certain specified programs for which moneys are appropriated.
   Current law requires the college student aid commission to submit an annual report to the governor and the general assembly related to certain specified tuition grants and evaluate the tuition grant program. The bill strikes these requirements.
   The bill strikes the college student aid commission’s annual reporting requirements related to the vocational-technical tuition grants, the scholarship and tuition grant reserve fund, the guaranteed student loan program, the Iowa minority academic grants for economic success program, the teacher shortage forgivable loan program, the teacher shortage loan forgiveness program, the health care award program, the mental health professional loan forgiveness program, and the skilled workforce shortage tuition grant program.