Bills › 91st General Assembly
Creating an endowment tax on the endowment value of certain Iowa colleges and universities, limiting charges relating to certain endowment funds, making appropriations to workforce grant and incentive programs, and making appropriations to supplement tuition grants for high-wage and high-demand jobs
Sponsored by the House Higher Education Committee
Topics:Higher educationJobs & workersTaxes
Same legislation: HSB 544
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedJanuary 13, 2026
- Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 13, 2026
- Done: House committeeJanuary 28, 2026
- Stopped: Passes the HouseDied when the General Assembly ended
- Next: Senate committeeFunnel: by March 20, 2026
- Next: Passes the Senate
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Died when the session ended The General Assembly adjourned on October 2, 2026. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
This bill creates an endowment tax on the endowment value of certain Iowa colleges and universities, limits charges relating to certain endowment funds, makes appropriations to workforce grant and incentive programs, and makes appropriations to supplemental tuition grants for high-wage and high-demand jobs. The bill shall be known as the “Tax the Endowments Act”.1 percent. The bill specifies the department of revenue may adopt rules to administer the tax.183. The bill defines “endowment” to mean the unrestricted corpus of any fund or account held and administered by an educational institution or a related organization to the educational institution, the principal of which is intended to be preserved and invested for the purpose of generating income to support the educational institution’s operations, scholarships, research, or other institutional purposes.
Read the full explanation
The bill defines “endowment value” to mean the total aggregate fair market value of all assets constituting the endowment at the close of the preceding tax year.230(8), for the uses specified in the fund.189(3) (private colleges).189(3)(b).1B(5). The bill requires the college student aid commission to adopt rules to administer the approval and awarding of supplemental tuition grants. The bill limits the amount a higher education institution governed by the state board of regents may charge another entity for gifts made to the institution to percent of the gross proceeds of the gift. The bill also limits such an institution from annually charging more than percent of the endowment value for the management and administration of the endowment.
From the explanation printed with the bill as introduced, written by the Legislative Services Agency. Amendments adopted later aren’t reflected. Full bill text
House subcommittee
Named January 13, 2026 (as HSB 544). On January 22, 2026 it recommended passage.
Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part
1 written public comment to its subcommittee: January 22, 2026 (1) · on the Legislature’s site
Iowa Code it changes
Amends§256.189
Read from the bill as introduced. Each links to every bill touching that chapter of the Iowa Code. How the Code works
Lobbying
1 for · 2 against · 8 undecided · Who →
Family tree
Where this legislation came from and where it went: earlier tries, the versions it moved through this Assembly, and later bills built on it.
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91st General Assembly
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