HF 2236 (LSB 5475YH (6) 91)

HOUSE FILE 2236

BY  SHIPLEY

A BILL FOR

An Act modifying provisions related to the Iowa tuition grants program and including effective date provisions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 84A.1B, subsection 5, paragraph b, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   b.  Educational attainment of a qualifying credential of at least a bachelor’s degree, or attainment of an initial or intern Iowa teaching license issued under chapter 256 through a pathway to licensure offered by an institution of higher education under the control of the state board of regents or an accredited private institution as defined in section 256.183, Code 2026.
    Sec. 2.  Section 139A.8B, subsection 2, paragraph b, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   b.  “Postsecondary school” means a postsecondary institution under the control of the state board of regents, a community college established under chapter 260C, or an accredited private institution as defined in section 256.183, Code 2026.
    Sec. 3.  Section 256.7, subsection 22, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   22.  Adopt rules and a procedure for the approval of para-educator preparation programs offered by a public school district, area education agency, community college, institution of higher education under the state board of regents, or an accredited private institution as defined in section 256.183, subsection 1, Code 2026. The programs shall train and recommend individuals for para-educator certification under section 256.157.
    Sec. 4.  Section 256.28, subsection 1, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   1.  Subject to an appropriation of sufficient funds by the general assembly, the department shall establish a teach Iowa student teaching pilot project in collaboration with two institutions of higher education which offer teacher preparation programs approved by the state board of education pursuant to section 256.7, subsection 3. The two institutions of higher education shall include one institution of higher education under the control of the state board of regents and one accredited private institution as defined in section 256.183, Code 2026.
    Sec. 5.  Section 256.180, subsection 3, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   3.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this part, in the event of a national emergency declared by the president of the United States by reason of terrorist attack, the commission may grant temporary relief from requirements rendered infeasible or unreasonable, including due diligence requirements and reporting deadlines, by the national emergency, to an institution of higher education under the state board of regents, a community college, an accredited private institution as defined in section 256.183, Code 2026, eligible lenders, and other entities participating in the state student assistance programs in accordance with this part, that are located in, or whose operations are directly affected by, areas that are declared disaster areas by any federal, state, or local official in connection with the national emergency. If the commission issues a waiver in accordance with this section, the report prepared by the commission pursuant to section 17A.9A, subsection 5, shall include examples of measures that a postsecondary institution may take in the appropriate exercise of discretion, as provided in 20 U.S.C. §1087tt, to adjust financial need and aid eligibility determinations for affected individuals.
    Sec. 6.  Section 256.181, subsection 2, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   2.  The general assembly recommends that every public and private institution of higher education in this state, including those institutions referenced in chapters 260C and 262 and section 256.183, Code 2026, post the list of required and suggested textbooks for all courses and the corresponding international standard book numbers for such textbooks at least fourteen days before the start of each semester or term, to the extent possible, at the locations where textbooks are sold on campus and on the internet site for the respective institution of higher education.
    Sec. 7.  Section 256.183, subsections 1, 3, 5, and 6, Code 2026, are amended by striking the subsections.
    Sec. 8.  Section 256.194, subsections 1 and 2, Code 2026, are amended by striking the subsections.
    Sec. 9.  Section 256.194, subsection 4, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   4.  This section shall not be construed to be a limitation on any of the amounts which may be appropriated by the general assembly for any program enumerated in this section to the commission for deposit in the vocational-technical tuition grants fund established in section 256.192, subsection 8.
    Sec. 10.  Section 256.203, subsection 3, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   3.  For purposes of this section “graduate student” means a student who has completed at least ninety semester hours, or the trimester or quarter equivalent, of postsecondary course work at a public higher education institution or at an accredited private institution, as defined under section 256.183, Code 2026. “Underserved area” means a geographical area included on the Iowa governor’s health practitioner shortage area list, which is compiled by the department of health and human services. The commission shall adopt rules, consistent with rules used for students enrolled in higher education institutions under the control of the state board of regents, for purposes of determining Iowa residency status of graduate students under this section. The commission shall also adopt rules which provide standards, guidelines, and procedures for the receipt, processing, and administration of student applications and loans under this section.
    Sec. 11.  Section 256.207, subsection 1, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   1.  An eligible postsecondary education institution is an institution of higher education under the state board of regents, a community college, or an accredited private institution as defined in section 256.183, subsection 1, Code 2026. The commission may enter into an agreement with an eligible postsecondary education institution under which the commission will make grants to the institution for the work-study program.
    Sec. 12.  Section 256.210, subsection 1, paragraph d, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   d.  Is enrolled as an undergraduate student in a community college as defined in section 260C.2, an institution of higher learning under the control of the board of regents, or an accredited private institution as defined in section 256.183, Code 2026, and is maintaining satisfactory academic progress.
    Sec. 13.  Section 256.210A, subsection 2, paragraph d, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   d.  Is enrolled in an educational program that has been approved by the adjutant general and is offered by a community college as defined in section 260C.2, an institution of higher learning under the control of the board of regents, or an accredited private institution as defined in section 256.183, 2026.
    Sec. 14.  Section 256.214, subsection 1, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   1.  “Accredited private institution” means an institution of higher education as defined in section 256.183, subsection 1, Code 2026.
    Sec. 15.  Section 256.219, subsection 1, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   1.  A teacher shortage forgivable loan program is established to be administered by the college student aid commission. An individual is eligible for the forgivable loan program if the individual is a resident of this state who is enrolled as a sophomore, junior, senior, or graduate student in an approved practitioner preparation program in a designated area in which teacher shortages are anticipated at an institution of higher learning under the control of the state board of regents or an accredited private institution as defined in section 256.183, Code 2026.
    Sec. 16.  Section 256.228, subsection 1, paragraph e, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   “Eligible institution” means a community college as defined in section 260C.2 or an accredited private institution as defined in section 256.183, Code 2026, that meets all of the following criteria:
    Sec. 17.  Section 256.229, subsection 1, paragraph c, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   “Eligible institution” means an institution of higher learning governed by the state board of regents, an accredited private institution as defined in section 256.183, Code 2026, or an approved virtual institution, that meets all of the following criteria:
    Sec. 18.  Section 261B.11, subsection 1, paragraph j, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   j.  Higher education institutions that meet the criteria established under section 256.183, subsection 1, Code 2026.
    Sec. 19.  Section 261E.2, subsection 4, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   4.  “Eligible postsecondary institution” means an institution of higher learning under the control of the state board of regents, a community college established under chapter 260C, or an accredited private institution as defined in section 256.183, Code 2026.
    Sec. 20.  Section 261G.2, subsection 5, paragraph c, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   c.  An accredited private institution as defined in section 256.183, Code 2026.
    Sec. 21.  Section 297.24, subsection 3, paragraph h, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   h.  An accredited private institution as defined in section 256.183, Code 2026.
    Sec. 22.  Section 714.19, subsection 9, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   9.  Private, nonprofit schools that meet the criteria established under section 256.183, subsection 1, Code 2026.
    Sec. 23.  TRANSFERS FROM IOWA TUITION GRANTS FUND AND IOWA TUITION GRANTS FOR-PROFIT INSTITUTIONS FUND TO GENERAL FUND.  There is transferred from the Iowa tuition grants fund established pursuant to section 256.189, subsection 3, and the Iowa tuition grants for-profit institutions fund established pursuant to section 256.191, subsection 8, to the general fund of the state all unencumbered or unobligated moneys remaining on the effective date of this Act.
    Sec. 24.  REPEAL.  Sections 256.184, 256.185, 256.186, 256.187, 256.189, and 256.191, Code 2026, are repealed.
    Sec. 25.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  This Act, being deemed of immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill modifies provisions related to the Iowa tuition grants program. The Iowa tuition grants program consists of three component programs: the traditional Iowa tuition grants component, which provides tuition grants to students who attend a nonprofit institution of higher education in this state; the Iowa tuition grants for-profit institutions component, which provides tuition grants to students who attend a for-profit institution of higher education in this state; and the vocational-technical tuition grants component, which provides tuition grants to students who attend a vocational-technical or career option program at a community college in this state.
   The bill strikes provisions related to the traditional Iowa tuition grants component. Any moneys appropriated to the college student aid commission for purposes of the Iowa tuition grants fund that remain unencumbered or unobligated as of the effective date of the bill are transferred to the general fund.
   The bill also strikes provisions related to the Iowa tuition grants for-profit institutions component. Any moneys appropriated to the college student aid commission for purposes of the Iowa tuition grants for-profit institutions fund that remain unencumbered or unobligated as of the effective date of the bill are transferred to the general fund.
   The bill makes conforming changes and takes effect upon enactment.