HSB 55 (LSB 1208YC (2) 91)

HOUSE FILE _____ 

BY  (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION BILL BY CHAIRPERSON COLLINS)

A BILL FOR

An Act requiring regents institutions to make certain course syllabus information available to the public online and including effective date provisions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  SHORT TITLE.  This Act shall be known and may be cited as the “Syllabus Transparency Act”.
    Sec. 2.  Section 262.9, Code 2025, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  39.  a.  Direct each institution of higher learning under its control to make available to the public on the institution’s internet site a syllabus for each section of each undergraduate course offered for credit by the institution. The syllabus shall include all of the following:
   (1)  The name of the instructor.
   (2)  A brief description of each major course requirement, including each major assignment and examination.
   (3)  Any required or recommended reading material.
   (4)  A general description of the subject matter of each lecture or discussion.
   b.  The syllabus information made available to the public pursuant to paragraph “a” shall be subject to the following requirements:
   (1)  The information shall be accessible from the institution’s internet site home page by use of no more than five links.
   (2)  The information shall be searchable by keywords and phrases.
   (3)  The information shall be accessible to the public without requiring registration or use of a user name, password, or other user identification.
   (4)  The information shall be made available no later than the first day of classes for the semester or other academic term during which the section of the course is offered.
   (5)  The information shall be updated as soon as practicable after the information changes.
   (6)  The information shall remain available on the institution’s internet site for at least one year after the date on which the institution initially made the information available.
    Sec. 3.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  This Act takes effect December 31, 2025.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill requires a regents institution to make available to the public on the institution’s internet site a syllabus for each section of each undergraduate course offered for credit by the institution. The syllabus shall include the name of the instructor, a brief description of each major course requirement, any required or recommended reading material, and a general description of the subject matter of each lecture or discussion.
   The bill provides accessibility requirements and timelines for making such syllabus information available.
   The bill takes effect December 31, 2025.