Relating to higher education, including requiring the cancellation of the recognition or registration of public institution of higher education student organizations that support or endorse terrorism or certain specified terrorist organizations, prohibiting students enrolled in institutions of higher education who support or endorse terrorism or certain specified terrorist organizations from receiving certain specified forms of financial aid, modifying the duties of the attorney general, and including effective date provisions

DIVISION I —— SHORT TITLE. The bill shall be known and may be cited as the “Combating Terrorist Sympathizers Act”. DIVISION II —— DECERTIFICATION OF STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS —— PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION. The division requires the attorney general to provide notice to a public institution of higher education and to the state board of regents or the board of directors of a community college, as applicable, within days after a student organization endorses or promotes terrorism or the actions of any foreign terrorist organization. The division requires a public institution of higher education to cancel the recognition or registration of a student organization that endorses or promotes violence, terrorism, or the actions of any foreign terrorist organization within days after the endorsement or promotion occurs. The division provides that if a public institution of higher education fails to comply with this provision, the attorney general shall bring an action against the public institution of higher education for a writ of mandamus to compel the public institution of higher education to comply. The division requires the attorney general to provide notice to a public institution of higher education, the department of education, and to the state board of regents or the board of directors of a community college, as applicable, within days after a student endorses or promotes terrorism or the actions of any foreign terrorist organization. The division provides that a student shall not be eligible to receive any financial aid provided by the public institution of higher education, or any state financial aid, in the succeeding fiscal year, or in any subsequent fiscal years, if the attorney general determines that the student has endorsed or promoted terrorism or the actions of any foreign terrorist organization. The division requires the department of education to provide notice to the student of the student’s ineligibility. The division defines “public institution of higher education” as a community college or an institution of higher learning governed by the state board of regents. The division defines “student organization” as a group officially recognized at or officially registered by a public institution of higher education, or a group seeking such official recognition or official registration, comprised of students who are admitted and in attendance at the public institution of higher education. DIVISION III —— STUDENTS ENROLLED IN PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION —— INELIGIBILITY UNDER IOWA TUITION GRANTS PROGRAM. The division requires the attorney general to provide notice to the department of education and an accredited private institution or an eligible institution within days after a student endorses or promotes terrorism or the actions of any foreign terrorist organization. The division provides that a student shall not be eligible to receive grants under the Iowa tuition grants program in the succeeding fiscal year, or in any subsequent fiscal years, if the attorney general determines that the student has endorsed or promoted terrorism or the actions of any foreign terrorist organization. The division requires the department of education to provide notice to the student of the student’s ineligibility. DIVISION IV —— EFFECTIVE DATE. The bill takes effect upon enactment.