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SF 244IOWASession 2025-2026State Billpassed both
Passed

Iowa sets mandatory undergraduate general education credit hours and content rules for regents institutions

Original title: A bill for an act providing for general education requirements for undergraduate students at regents institutions and including applicability provisions.

Last action · April 10, 2025: Placed on calendar under unfinished business. S.J. 757 .Sponsor: Jesse Green

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What This Bill Would Do

Senate File 244 establishes mandatory general education credit requirements totaling up to 40 semester hours across specific subjects for undergraduate students at Iowa , effective for students enrolling on or after July 1, 2027. The measure prohibits courses from teaching identity politics or systemic racism theories, and allows any person to notify the attorney general of a potential institutional violation to compel compliance.

Why it matters

Undergraduate students entering Iowa regents universities starting July 1, 2027, must complete a standardized core curriculum of specific credit hours in subjects like English, mathematics, and natural sciences while universities are barred from requiring unauthorized general education coursework.

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Undergraduate students at regents institutions

Students must complete specific general education credit hours and course content subject to a 40-hour maximum cap.

Directly affected

State board of regents

The board must develop and adopt policies establishing the general education requirements and standards for course content.

Directly affected

Institutions of higher learning governed by the board

Institutions must align their undergraduate degree requirements with the authorized general education subjects, credit caps, and course content standards.

Key Facts

  • The Act applies to students beginning enrollment at regents institutions in academic years beginning on or after July 1, 2027.
  • Institutions must require six semester credit hours each in English composition, a world language, mathematics and statistics, natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities.
  • Institutions must require three semester credit hours each of western heritage and American heritage.
  • Total general education requirements shall not exceed 40 semester credit hours.
Show all 9 facts
  • Institutions are prohibited from establishing any general education requirement not specifically authorized in the statute.
  • Courses satisfying general education requirements must not distort significant historical events or teach identity politics, systemic racism, sexism, oppression, or privilege.
  • The policy must not limit the academic freedom of any course instructor to direct instruction or limit free discussion of ideas in a classroom.
  • General education requirements do not apply to students completing degree programs of three years or less in duration, and the board may grant waivers for complex fields.
  • Any person may notify the attorney general of a potential violation, and the attorney general may bring an action for a writ of mandamus to compel compliance.

Frequently Asked Questions

When do these general education requirements take effect?
The requirements apply to students beginning enrollment at in academic years beginning on or after July 1, 2027.
What subjects are required for undergraduate general education?
Required subjects include English composition (6 hours), world language (6 hours), mathematics and statistics (6 hours), natural sciences (6 hours), social sciences (6 hours), humanities (6 hours), western heritage (3 hours), and American heritage (3 hours).
Can degree programs be exempted from these requirements?
Yes, the requirements do not apply to students completing a degree program of three years or less in duration, and the board may waive requirements for degree programs in complex fields or those requiring increased focus on major courses.

What else do you want to know?

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Where This Stands

Currently passed both. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.

Procedural history

24 actions
  1. Apr 10, 2025Senate
    Placed on calendar under unfinished business. S.J. 757 .
  2. Apr 7, 2025Iowa Legislature
    Placed on calendar.
  3. Apr 7, 2025Senate
    Committee report, recommending passage. S.J. 715 .
  4. Apr 2, 2025Iowa Legislature
    Subcommittee recommends passage.
  5. Apr 1, 2025Iowa Legislature
    Subcommittee Meeting: 04/02/2025 2:00PM Room 217 Conference Room.
  6. Mar 26, 2025Senate
    Subcommittee: Taylor, Garrett, and Quirmbach. S.J. 654 .
Show 18 earlier actions
  1. Mar 19, 2025SenateIntroduced
    Read first time, referred to Education. S.J. 570 .
  2. Mar 19, 2025House
    Message from House. S.J. 570 .
  3. Mar 18, 2025House
    Immediate message. H.J. 717 .
  4. Mar 18, 2025HouseFloor
    Passed House , yeas 61, nays 36. H.J. 703 .
  5. Mar 18, 2025House
    Amendment H-1085 out of order. H.J. 702 .
  6. Mar 18, 2025HouseFloor
    Amendment H-1110 adopted. H.J. 702 .
  7. Mar 17, 2025House
    Amendment H-1110 filed. H.J. 677 .
  8. Mar 13, 2025House
    Amendment H-1085 filed. H.J. 659 .
  9. Feb 13, 2025HouseIntroduced
    Introduced, placed on calendar. H.J. 320 .
  10. Feb 13, 2025Iowa Legislature
    Committee report approving bill, renumbered as HF 401 .
  11. Feb 12, 2025House
    Committee vote: Yeas, 7. Nays, 4. H.J. 310 .
  12. Feb 12, 2025House
    Committee report, recommending amendment and passage. H.J. 310 .
  13. Feb 11, 2025Iowa Legislature
    Subcommittee: Green, Pike, and Quirmbach.
  14. Feb 10, 2025SenateIntroduced
    Introduced, referred to Education. S.J. 216 .
  15. Jan 28, 2025Iowa Legislature
    Subcommittee recommends passage.
  16. Jan 23, 2025Iowa Legislature
    Subcommittee Meeting: 01/28/2025 8:00AM RM 102.
  17. Jan 22, 2025House
    Subcommittee: Holt, Collins and Wilburn. H.J. 117 .
  18. Jan 22, 2025HouseIntroduced
    Introduced, referred to Higher Education. H.J. 115 .

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Sponsors

Jesse GreenSenate · District 24RepublicanPrimary sponsor

Connected Entities

State Board of Regents, Attorney General, Iowa and 1 more
OrganizationState Board of Regents“State board governing institutions of higher learning in Iowa.”Map →
OrganizationAttorney General“Authorized to bring an action for a writ of mandamus to compel institution compl”Map →
locationIowa“State referenced in curriculum standards and legislative enactment.”Map →
locationUnited States of America“Country referenced in curriculum standards.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.legis.iowa.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance75
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy85
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz60
    Current news / social attention level

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