Iowa House passes bill limiting DEI offices at private colleges that receive tuition grants
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Summary
The House passed House File 2488 to prohibit private institutions participating in the Iowa tuition grant program from establishing or staffing DEI offices if they accept that grant; opponents warned it could harm private religious colleges and the measure passed 57–34.
House File 2488 prohibits private institutions of higher education that participate in the Iowa tuition grant program from establishing, sustaining, supporting or staffing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) offices if they accept taxpayer-funded tuition grants.
Representative Holt, speaking as sponsor, told members the bill would bar DEI offices from receiving public tuition grant funds while allowing private institutions to maintain DEI functions if they elect to forgo the grant. Representative Brown Powers opposed the measure on the floor, saying the legislation risks overreaching into private and religious colleges and could imperil institutions that rely on the Iowa tuition grant.
The House voted on final passage; the clerk reported 57 yeas, 34 nays and 9 absent, and the chair declared the bill passed. The title was agreed to and the bill will be sent to the Senate.
Next steps: Transmittal to the Senate for consideration.