Iowa House lawmakers continued their efforts to bring comprehensive reform to the state’s higher education system with lawmakers honing their aim on diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in a spate of bills passed Tuesday. 

Lawmakers passed a number of bills focused on DEI Tuesday, including bills revoking Iowa Tuition Grant funding for colleges that have DEI programs, creating a center for intellectual freedom at the University of Iowa, and allowing universities to sue accrediting bodies if they suffer a harm because they complied with state law. 

The gamut of bills comes as President Donald Trump brings an onslaught of executive action focused at DEI in the federal government. 

The legislation brought by Iowa lawmakers targets programs aimed at assisting underrepresented and marginalized groups and creating an inclusive environment for them. All of the bills passed in mostly party line votes. 

Republicans argue that the programs promote identity over “merit, excellence, and intelligence,” stating instead of the color of their skin everyone should be judged based on their skills and effort. 

“DEI creates divisiveness and animosity towards one another at the end of the day, where all the human race is made up of different colors, ethnicities and backgrounds,” Rep. Henry Stone, R-Forest City said. “And most importantly of all, we have got to stop teaching this to our children. What we’re doing is teaching them before considering anything else that their skin color doesn’t look like mine, so I have to treat them differently.” 

Stone said DEI is part of what is dividing America today and, “getting rid of DEI will help our nation heal and grow together with one another, instead of forcing people to believe that you should be judged by the color of your skin.”

Democrats argued dismantling DEI is harmful to marginalized and minority communities in the state, stating many of the eliminated DEI programs helped governments understand how to best serve diverse populations. 

“There are problems that our local governments can — without interference from the state — make sure that we are enhancing, embracing, celebrating diversity, making sure that all of us are aware if we are discriminating,” Rep. Ross Wilburn, D-Ames and chair of the Legislative Black Caucus said. “Make sure that all of us are aware when we are creating opportunities that help lift all of us.” 

Rep. Elinor Levin, D-Iowa City, said the legislation has created a hostile environment for many families in Iowa. 

“People are just fleeing for the doors,” Levin said. “ It’s fascinating. It really breaks my heart when we make it harder for Iowans to achieve their potential here in Iowa. It breaks my heart.” 

Universities could sue accreditors under bill approved Tuesday 

Iowa’s regent universities could sue their accreditors if they are harmed by the accreditor when attempting to comply with state laws under a bill approved Tuesday by Iowa House lawmakers. 

The bill would give universities the ability to sue if they were harmed by an accreditor in an attempt to comply with current state laws. 

Accrediting bodies require certain DEI programs within universities to receive their accreditation. Previous legislative efforts to ban DEI carved out exceptions for requirements for accreditation purposes. 

If a college loses accreditations, it could impact students’ financial aid and change if their degree is officially recognized by employers or licensing boards. 

Bill creates Center for Intellectual Freedom at UI

Under a bill approved Tuesday, the UI will be required to open a new Center for Intellectual Freedom. 

The center would focus on teaching and researching “the historical ideas, traditions, and texts that have shaped the American constitutional order and society,” according to the bill.

The bill would also task the center with offering university-wide programming on free speech and civil discourse, work to expand intellectual diversity, and foster civic engagement. 

The center will coordinate with the Center for Cyclone Civics at Iowa State and the Center for Civic Education at the University of Northern Iowa to enable shared course offerings.

The estimated cost of running the center is roughly $1.5 million per year. 

The center is charged with increasing the intellectual diversity among the UI’s academic community and fostering civic engagement in students and faculty.

Bill bans DEI in state government, private universities

Iowa House lawmakers approved a bill, House File 856, which would prohibit state and local governments from funding a DEI office or hiring DEI staff. 

The bill was amended to include bans on DEI in Iowa’s community colleges and a ban on DEI in private universities that receive Iowa Tuition Grant dollars. 

The bill only constrains the existence of a DEI office or staff and not actual instruction in the House. 

Colleges and universities could be reported to the Iowa Attorney General for violations under the bill, causing institutions to lose all tuition grant funding. 

Ban on teaching DEI, critical race theory in regent institutions

Iowa House lawmakers advanced a bill that would ban requiring a student to take a class on DEI or critical race theory for a general education requirement or as a requirement to graduate. The bill excludes requirements under federal and state civil rights laws or if a student is pursuing a degree in fields related to DEI or critical race theory. 

The bill specifies it is not intended to limit academic freedom.