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HF 2783

A bill for an act relating to and making appropriations to the education system, including the funding and operation of the department for the blind, department of education, state board of regents, department of workforce development, and Iowa special education council.

2025-2026 Regular Session

HF 2783 prevents accredited private institutions from offering associate degrees to preserve Iowa Tuition Grants funding and avoid competition with community colleges.

Item vetoed, signed by Governor.
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HF 2783

Summary of House File 2783 (HF 2783) – Iowa, 2025-2026 Session

Overview

HF 2783 is a bill related to funding and governance of Iowa’s education system, including provisions affecting the department for the blind, the Iowa Department of Education, the State Board of Regents, and the Department of Workforce Development. The bill includes amendments to the definition of “accredited private institution” in Code 256.183 and adds a legislative finding and intent concerning accredited private institutions and higher education competition, particularly in relation to the Iowa Tuition Grants program.

Main Purpose and Intent

  • Aligns the definition of “accredited private institution” with a limitation that restricts offering certain academic programs.
  • Addresses concerns about competition between accredited private institutions and public/community higher education options.
  • Signals legislative intent to ensure that taxpayer-funded programs (Iowa Tuition Grants) are not used by accredited private institutions to compete with community colleges by offering associate-degree programs.
  • Clarifies and emphasizes policy goals through a legislative finding and intent section.

Key Provisions and Changes

1) Definition of Accredited Private Institution (256.183)

  • The definition of “Accredited private institution” ( Code 256.183, subsection 1, unnumbered paragraph 1) is amended.
  • New requirement: An accredited private institution “does not offer an academic program that results in the conferring of an associate degree.”
  • The amended definition ensures that accredited private institutions cannot provide associate-degree programs.

2) Legislative Findings and Intent (new section)

  • Adds a legislative finding that:
    • Accredited private institutions wish to avoid competition in higher education.
    • Some accredited private institutions may offer programs leading to an associate degree, and community colleges (Chapter 260C) cannot offer bachelor’s degrees.
    • The Iowa Tuition Grants program provides considerable funding to students attending accredited private institutions.
  • Adds an explicit intent that the amendments to the accreditation definition are to prevent accredited private institutions from using state-funded tuition grants to compete with community colleges by offering associate-degree programs.

3) Administrative/Organizational Adjustments

  • The bill includes a renumbering step as necessary in the drafted text, reflecting typical legislative formatting adjustments.
  • Overall framework suggests alignment of private institution status with implications for tuition grant funding eligibility.

Affected Parties

  • Accredited Private Institutions in Iowa: Subject to the revised definition and the restriction on offering associate-degree programs.
  • Iowa Tuition Grants Program Recipients/Participants and the program’s funding framework: Potentially impacted insofar as the amendments limit use of grants to prop up programs that would otherwise compete with community colleges for associate degrees.
  • Public higher education system and community colleges: Indirectly affected due to the policy goal of reducing competition for associate-degree programs from accredited private institutions.
  • State Agencies: Departments involved in higher education governance and administration (e.g., Department of Education, community colleges) may implement or enforce these definitions.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Introduction and Scheduling: HF 2783 was introduced and placed on the Appropriations calendar (April 21, 2026). An amendment (H-8395) was filed the same day.
  • Action Status: The bill is in the appropriations process, with early-stage amendments proposed to the House file. No final passage timeline is provided in the summary text.
  • Effective Date: The amendment references “Code 2026,” implying the provisions would take effect in the 2026 code year, consistent with legislative drafting for the next fiscal year.

Observations

  • The core substantive change is a definitional constraint that accredited private institutions may not offer associate-degree programs if they are to maintain eligibility for Iowa Tuition Grants and to avoid competition with community colleges.
  • The accompanying findings and intent language provide policy justification for the change and signal the legislature’s priority regarding higher education funding and competition.

If you’d like, I can provide a side-by-side comparison with current statute text or a brief fiscal impact outlook based on typical tuition grant funding levels.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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