Iowa HSB 534: A bill for an act relating to postsecondary education institutions, including the membership and functions of the state board of regents and accreditation of public institutions of higher education.

Bill Text

House Study Bill 534 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE _____
BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON
HIGHER EDUCATION BILL BY
CHAIRPERSON COLLINS)
A BILL FOR
An Act relating to postsecondary education institutions,1
including the membership and functions of the state board of2
regents and accreditation of public institutions of higher3
education.4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:5
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DIVISION I1
SHORT TITLE2
Section 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act shall be known and may be3
cited as the “University Governance Reform Act”.4
DIVISION II5
STATE BOARD OF REGENTS —— MEMBERSHIP AND TERMS6
Sec. 2. Section 256.176, subsection 2, paragraph a, Code7
2026, is amended to read as follows:8
a. A voting member of the state board of regents to be named9
by the state board of regents, or the executive director of10
the state board of regents if so appointed by the state board11
of regents, who shall serve for a four-year term or until the12
expiration of the member’s term of office, and who shall serve13
as an ex officio, nonvoting member.14
Sec. 3. Section 262.1, Code 2026, is amended to read as15
follows:16
262.1 Membership.17
1. The state board of regents consists of nine voting18
members, eight of whom who shall be selected from the state at19
large solely with regard to their qualifications and fitness20
to discharge the duties of the office. The ninth member shall21
be a student enrolled on a full-time basis in good standing22
at either the graduate or undergraduate level at one of the23
institutions listed in section 262.7, subsection 1, 2, or 3,24
at the time of the member’s appointment. Not more than five25
voting members shall be of the same political party.26
2. The board shall include ex officio, nonvoting members as27
follows:28
a. For each of the institutions listed in section 262.7,29
subsections 1, 2, and 3, a student enrolled on a full-time30
basis in good standing at the institution at the time of the31
member’s appointment.32
b. Two members of the senate and two members of the house of33
representatives. This paragraph is repealed December 31, 2029.34
Sec. 4. Section 262.2, Code 2026, is amended to read as35
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follows:1
262.2 Appointment —— term of office.2
1. The voting members shall be appointed by the governor3
subject to confirmation by the senate. Prior to appointing the4
ninth member as specified in section 262.1, the governor shall5
consult with the appropriate student body government at the6
institution at which the proposed appointee is enrolled. The7
term of each member of the board shall be for six four years,8
unless the ninth member, appointed in accordance with section9
262.1, graduates or is no longer enrolled at an institution10
of higher education under the board’s control, at which time11
the term of the ninth member shall expire one year from the12
date on which the member graduates or is no longer enrolled in13
an institution of higher education under the board’s control.14
However, if within that year the ninth member reenrolls in any15
institution of higher education under the board’s control on16
a full-time basis and is a student in good standing at either17
the graduate or undergraduate level, the term of the ninth18
member shall continue in effect. The terms of three five19
voting members of the board shall begin and expire in each20
odd-numbered year as provided in section 69.19.21
2. A student member shall be appointed by the governor and22
shall serve at the pleasure of the governor. A student member23
shall serve no longer than four years. If a student member24
graduates from or is no longer enrolled at the institution, the25
member shall no longer be eligible for service on the board,26
and the governor shall appoint a new member pursuant to section27
262.6.28
3. The members of the senate shall be appointed by the29
majority leader of the senate. The members of the house of30
representatives shall be appointed by the speaker of the house.31
A legislative member shall serve for a term as provided in32
section 4A.13. A legislative member is eligible for per diem33
and expenses as provided in section 2.10. This subsection is34
repealed December 31, 2029.35
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Sec. 5. Section 262.4, Code 2026, is amended to read as1
follows:2
262.4 Removals.3
The governor, with the approval of a majority of the senate4
during a session of the general assembly, may remove any voting5
member of the board for malfeasance in office, or for any cause6
which would render the member ineligible for appointment or7
incapable or unfit to discharge the duties of office, and the8
member’s removal, when so made, shall be final.9
Sec. 6. Section 262.5, Code 2026, is amended to read as10
follows:11
262.5 Suspension.12
When the general assembly is not in session, the governor13
may suspend any voting member so disqualified and shall appoint14
another to fill the vacancy thus created, subject to the15