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STATE OF IOWA
KIM REYNOLDS
GOVERNOR
May 6, 2025
The Honorable Paul Pate
Secretary of State of Iowa
State Capitol
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
Dear Mr. Secretary,
I hereby transmit:
House File 295, an Act relating to accreditation of postsecondary educational institutions,
prohibiting adverse action by accrediting agencies against certain postsecondary
educational institutions for compliance with state law, providing remedies, and including
effective date provisions.
The above House File is hereby approved on this date.
Sincemly
Kim Reync
Governor of Iowa
cc: Secretary of the Senate
Clerk of the House
STATE CAPITOL DES MOINES, IOWA 50319 515.281.5211 FAX 515.725.3527 WWW.GOYERNOR.IOWA.GOV
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OENERAL ASSEMBLY
House File 295
AN ACT
RELATING TO ACCREDITATION OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATIONAL
INSTITUTIONS, PROHIBITING ADVERSE ACTION BY ACCREDITING
AGENCIES AGAINST CERTAIN POSTSECONDARY EDUCATIONAL
INSTITUTIONS FOR COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW, PROVIDING
REMEDIES, AND INCLUDING EFFECTIVE DATE PROVISIONS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF lOWAs
Section 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act shall be known and may be
cited as the ^^Accreditation Autonomy Act".
Sec. 2. Section 147A.1, subsection 13, Code 2025, is amended
to read as follows:
13. ^Training program" means an Iowa college approved by
higher learning commisaion any federally recognized accreditor
of postsecondary educational institutions, an Iowa hospital
authorized by the department, or a medical care ambulance
service or nontransport service that has received authorization
from the department to conduct emergency medical care services
training.
Sec. 3. Section 147A.17, subsection 1, Code 2025, is amended
to read as follows:
1. An Iowa college approved by the higher learning
commission any federally recognized accreditor of postsecondary
educational institutions, an Iowa hospital in this state, or
a medical care ambulance service or nontransport service that
desires to provide emergency medical care services training
leading to certification as an emergency medical care provider
House File 295, p. 2
shall apply to the department for authorization to establish a
training program.
Sec. 4. Section 256.183, subsection 1, paragraphs a, b, and
c, Code 2025, are amended to read as follows:
a. Is accredited by the higher learning commission any
federally recognized accreditor of postsecondary educational
institutions.
b. Is accredited by the higher learning commiooion any
federally recognized accreditor of postsecondary educational
institutions, is exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3)
of the Internal Revenue Code, and annually provides a matching
aggregate amount of institutional financial aid equal to at
least seventy-five percent of the amount received in a fiscal
year by the institution's students for Iowa tuition grant
assistance under this part. Commencing with the fiscal year
beginning July 1, 2006, the matching aggregate amount of
institutional financial aid shall increase by the percentage
of increase each fiscal year of funds appropriated for Iowa
tuition grants under section 256.194, subsection 1, to a
maximum match of one hundred percent. The institution shall
file annual reports with the commission prior to receipt of
tuition grant moneys under this part. An institution whose
income is not exempt from taxation under section 501(c) of
the Internal Revenue Code and whose students were eligible to
receive Iowa tuition grant money in the fiscal year beginning
July 1, 2003, shall meet the match requirements of this
paragraph no later than June 30, 2005.
c. Is a specialized college that is accredited by the higher
learning commission any federally recognized accreditor of
postsecondary educational institutions, and which offers health
professional programs that are affiliated with health care
systems located in Iowa.
Sec. 5, Section 260C.47, subsection 1, unnumbered paragraph
1, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
The state board of education shall establish an
accreditation process for community college programs. The
process shall be jointly developed and agreed upon by the
department of education and the community colleges. The
state accreditation process shall be integrated with the
House File 295, p. 3
accreditation process of the higher learning commisaion a
federally recognized accreditor of postsecondary educational
institutions selected by the board, including the evaluation
cyclok—the self study proccsa,—and the criteria for cvaluationi
which shall incorporate the standards for community colleges
developed under section 260C.48; and shall identify and make
provision for the needs of the state that are not met by
the Gommission^s accreditor's accreditation process. The
department of education shall use a two-component process for
the continued accreditation of community college programs.
Sec. 6. NEW SECTION. 261K.1 Definitions.
For purposes of this chapter, unless the context otherwise
requires:
1. ^Accrediting agency" means an entity that provides
accreditation of public institutions of higher education and
that is not a government agency.
2, ^Public institution of higher education" means an
institution of higher learning governed by the state board of
regents or a community college.
Sec. 7. NEW SECTION. 261K.2 Accrediting agencies —
adverse action against institutions for compliance with state law
prohibited.
1. An accrediting agency shall not take any adverse action
against a public institution of higher education for complying
with a state law or refusing to violate a state law.
2. Any adverse action taken by an accrediting agency against
a public institution of higher education based, in whole or
in part, on the institution's compliance with a state law or
refusal to violate a state law constitutes a violation of this
section that is subject to section 261K.3.
Sec. 8. NEW SECTION, 261K,3 Civil action.
A public institution of higher education that is negatively
affected by adverse action taken against the institution by an
accrediting agency in violation of section 261K.2 may bring a
civil action against the accrediting agency in this state if
authorized by the attorney general. The attorney general may
bring the action on behalf of the institution. The institution
or attorney general may obtain injunctive relief and liquidated
damages in the amount of the federal financial aid received by
House File 295, p. 4
the institution in the academic year preceding the violation,
as well as court costs and reasonable attorney fees.
Sec. 9. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of immediate
importance, takes effect upon enactment.
PAT GRASSL]
Speaker of the House
AMY SINC^IR
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that this bill originated in the House and
is known as House File 295, Ninety-first General Assembly.
Approved , 2025
MEGimN NELSON
Ch±4f cfcerk of the House
KIM RE^JQLDS
Governor