House File 269 - Reprinted HOUSE FILE 269 BY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION (SUCCESSOR TO HSB 53) (As Amended and Passed by the House March 18, 2025 ) A BILL FOR An Act prohibiting certain requirements for students and 1 faculty at regents institutions relating to diversity, 2 equity, inclusion, and critical race theory and including 3 applicability provisions. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 HF 269 (2) 91 je/jh/md

H.F. 269 Section 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act shall be known and may be 1 cited as the “Freedom from Indoctrination Act”. 2 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION . 261K.1 Definitions. 3 For purposes of this chapter, unless the context otherwise 4 requires: 5 1. “Board” means the state board of regents. 6 2. “Constrain” means failure by a public institution of 7 higher education during any semester to provide a sufficient 8 number of open seats in alternative courses for a student to 9 complete or progress toward completion of degree or program 10 requirements. 11 3. “Diversity, equity, inclusion, and critical race 12 theory-related content” means content that does one or more of 13 the following: 14 a. Promotes the idea that racially neutral or colorblind 15 laws, policies, or institutions perpetuate oppression; 16 injustice; race-based privilege, including white supremacy 17 or white privilege; or inequity by failing to actively 18 differentiate on the basis of race, sex, or gender. 19 b. Promotes the differential treatment of any individual 20 or groups of individuals based on race or ethnicity in 21 contemporary American society. 22 c. Promotes the idea that a student is biased on account of 23 the student’s race or sex. 24 4. “Diversity, equity, inclusion, and critical race 25 theory-related course” means any course for which the course 26 description, course overview, course objectives, proposed 27 student learning outcomes, written examinations, or written or 28 oral assignments for which the student will receive a grade, 29 includes diversity, equity, inclusion, and critical race 30 theory-related content. 31 5. “Diversity, equity, inclusion, and critical race 32 theory practices” means any requirement or guidance that 33 a course instructor include or curate materials on the 34 basis of the race, sex, or gender identity of an author or 35 -1- HF 269 (2) 91 je/jh/md 1/ 3

H.F. 269 authors. “Diversity, equity, inclusion, and critical race 1 theory practices” also means participating in any workshop, 2 training, seminar, or professional development on any 3 diversity, equity, inclusion, and critical race theory-related 4 content. “Diversity, equity, inclusion, and critical race 5 theory practices” does not include any programming explicitly 6 required by the public institution of higher education’s legal 7 obligations to comply with Tit. IX of the Education Amendments 8 of 1972, as amended, the Americans with Disabilities Act, as 9 amended, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, as amended, 10 Tit. VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, or an applicable court 11 order. 12 6. “Public institution of higher education” means an 13 institution of higher learning governed by the board. 14 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION . 261K.2 Limitation on academic 15 requirements. 16 The board shall establish a policy that ensures that public 17 institutions of higher education do not require or constrain 18 students to enroll in a diversity, equity, inclusion, and 19 critical race theory-related course in order to satisfy the 20 requirements of any academic degree program, including general 21 education, major, minor, or certificate requirements, except 22 as provided in section 261K.4. 23 Sec. 4. NEW SECTION . 261K.3 Limitation on faculty 24 requirements. 25 A public institution of higher education, or any employee, 26 appointee, or committee acting on its behalf, shall not 27 require, solicit, or incentivize faculty of the institution 28 to apply or participate in diversity, equity, inclusion, and 29 critical race theory practices or include diversity, equity, 30 inclusion, and critical race theory-related content in any 31 course as a condition of approval, designation, or listing 32 as part of any academic degree program, including general 33 education; major, minor, or certificate requirements; or as a 34 condition of consideration in any faculty member’s performance 35 -2- HF 269 (2) 91 je/jh/md 2/ 3

H.F. 269 assessment, promotion, tenure, salary adjustment, or any other 1 incentive, except as provided in section 261K.4. 2 Sec. 5. NEW SECTION . 261K.4 Exemptions. 3 The board may grant an exemption from the requirements of 4 sections 261K.2 and 261K.3 for the academic degree program 5 requirements of any major, minor, certificate, or academic unit 6 if the title thereof clearly establishes its course of study 7 as primarily focused on racial, ethnic, or gender studies. 8 However, a student shall not be required or constrained to 9 enroll in any such program or course in order to satisfy the 10 requirements of any other academic degree program, including 11 general education requirements, or any other major, minor, or 12 certificate requirements. 13 Sec. 6. NEW SECTION . 261K.5 Enforcement. 14 Any person may notify the attorney general of a potential 15 violation of this chapter by a public institution of higher 16 education. The attorney general may bring an action against a 17 public institution of higher education for a writ of mandamus 18 to compel the institution, or any employee, appointee, or 19 committee acting on its behalf, to comply with this chapter. 20 Sec. 7. NEW SECTION . 261K.6 Construction. 21 This chapter shall not be construed to limit the academic 22 freedom of any individual course instructor to direct the 23 instruction within the instructor’s own course or to limit the 24 free discussion of ideas in a classroom setting. 25 Sec. 8. APPLICABILITY. This Act applies to academic years 26 at public institutions of higher education, as defined in 27 section 261K.1, as enacted by this Act, beginning on or after 28 July 1, 2026. 29 -3- HF 269 (2) 91 je/jh/md 3/ 3