House File 401 - Reprinted HOUSE FILE 401 BY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION (SUCCESSOR TO HSB 63) (As Amended and Passed by the House March 18, 2025 ) A BILL FOR An Act providing for general education requirements for 1 undergraduate students at regents institutions and including 2 applicability provisions. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 HF 401 (3) 91 je/jh/md

H.F. 401 Section 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act shall be known and may be 1 cited as the “Core Curriculum Act”. 2 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION . 262C.1 Definitions. 3 As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise 4 requires: 5 1. “Board” means the state board of regents. 6 2. “Institution” means an institution of higher learning 7 governed by the board. 8 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION . 262C.2 General education requirements. 9 The board shall develop and adopt a policy establishing 10 general education requirements for undergraduate students. The 11 policy must include all of the following: 12 1. Each institution shall establish all of the following 13 general education requirements that must be completed for a 14 student to receive an undergraduate degree: 15 a. Six semester credit hours of English. 16 b. Three semester credit hours of mathematics and 17 statistics. 18 c. Four semester credit hours of natural sciences. 19 d. Six semester credit hours of social sciences. 20 e. Six semester credit hours of the humanities. 21 f. Three semester credit hours of western heritage. 22 Coursework satisfying this requirement shall consist of 23 introductory survey courses concerning western heritage such as 24 western civilization, British literature, or Greek philosophy. 25 Coursework for western heritage shall also satisfy the required 26 semester hours for English, social studies, or the humanities, 27 as designated by the institution. 28 g. Three semester credit hours of American heritage. 29 Coursework satisfying this requirement shall consist of 30 introductory survey courses concerning American heritage, such 31 as American history, Iowa history, American government, or 32 American literature. If the institution offers or requires a 33 course on American history and civil government, semester hours 34 for that course shall satisfy this requirement. Coursework 35 -1- HF 401 (3) 91 je/jh/md 1/ 3

H.F. 401 for American heritage shall also satisfy the required semester 1 hours for social studies or the humanities, as designated by 2 the institution. 3 2. An institution shall not establish more than 4 thirty-seven semester credit hours of general education 5 requirements. An institution may increase the number of 6 semester hours for any of the requirements of subsection 1, 7 provided that the total number of required semester hours of 8 general education shall not exceed thirty-seven. 9 3. Except as provided in subsection 1, an institution shall 10 not designate any course as satisfying more than one of the 11 general education requirements provided in subsection 1. 12 4. An institution shall provide equivalent credit toward 13 the requirements of subsection 1 to a student transferring 14 to the institution for previous coursework completed by the 15 student that is substantially similar to a requirement of 16 subsection 1. 17 5. If the board or an institution has established a center 18 for intellectual freedom or a center for civic education, the 19 center shall annually review and approve the courses that will 20 satisfy the requirements of subsection 1, paragraphs “f” and 21 “g” . 22 Sec. 4. NEW SECTION . 262C.3 Standards for course content. 23 The board shall adopt a policy to ensure that courses that 24 satisfy the general education requirements established pursuant 25 to section 262C.2 do not distort significant historical events 26 or include any curriculum or other material that teaches 27 identity politics or is based on theories that systemic 28 racism, sexism, oppression, or privilege are inherent in the 29 institutions of the United States of America or the state of 30 Iowa. The policy shall not limit the academic freedom of 31 any course instructor to direct the instruction within the 32 instructor’s course or limit the free discussion of ideas in a 33 classroom setting. 34 Sec. 5. NEW SECTION . 262C.4 Exceptions —— waiver. 35 -2- HF 401 (3) 91 je/jh/md 2/ 3

H.F. 401 1. The general education requirements established pursuant 1 to section 262C.2 shall not apply to a student completing a 2 degree program that is designated by an institution as a degree 3 program of three years or less in duration. 4 2. The board may waive one or more requirements of section 5 262.2 for a degree program if the board determines the program 6 is in a complex field or requires an increased amount of focus 7 on the courses related to a student’s major. 8 Sec. 6. NEW SECTION . 262C.5 Enforcement. 9 Any person may notify the attorney general of an 10 institution’s potential violation of this chapter. The 11 attorney general may bring an action against an institution for 12 a writ of mandamus to compel the institution to comply with 13 this chapter. 14 Sec. 7. APPLICABILITY. This Act applies to students 15 beginning enrollment at institutions of higher learning 16 governed by the state board of regents in academic years 17 beginning on or after July 1, 2027. 18 -3- HF 401 (3) 91 je/jh/md 3/ 3