HF 2488: Prohibiting private institutions of higher education that participate in the Iowa tuition grant program from establishing diversity, equity, and inclusion offices

What it does

This bill prohibits a private institution of higher education, as defined in the bill, from establishing, sustaining, supporting, or staffing a diversity, equity, and inclusion office, as defined in the bill. The prohibition does not apply if otherwise provided by federal or state law or accreditation standards. The bill specifies activities that the bill shall not be construed to prohibit. The bill authorizes a person to report a private institution of higher education’s potential violation of the requirements of the bill to the attorney general, who shall provide notice of such report to the department of education and the institution within days.

Senate subcommittee · named March 4, 2026

• Sen. Mike Pike (R) · mike.pike@legis.iowa.gov
• Sen. Herman C. Quirmbach (D) · herman.quirmbach@legis.iowa.gov
• Sen. Jeff Taylor (R) · jeff.taylor@legis.iowa.gov

Lobbying · 8 for, 13 against

For: Do No Harm Action; Iowa Baptists For Biblical Values; Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition; Iowans for Freedom; Kairos Nexus; Professional Educators of Iowa; Rick Phillips; VALOR Iowa

Against: AFSCME Council 61; American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa (ACLU-IA); Episcopal Diocese of Iowa; Interfaith Alliance of Iowa Action Fund; Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers; Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church; Iowa Integrated Health Planning and Advisory Council; Iowa Safe Schools; League of Women Voters of Iowa; NAACP, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Iowa-Nebraska; One Iowa; One Iowa Action; and 1 more

In plain words

1. January 13, 2026Filed in the House and sent to the Higher Education committee · as HSB 537
2. January 13, 2026House subcommittee named: Stone, Brown-Powers and Wheeler · as HSB 537
3. January 20, 2026House subcommittee named: Holt, Brown-Powers and Wheeler · as HSB 537
4. February 9, 2026Subcommittee recommended passing it · as HSB 537
5. February 11, 2026Approved by the House committee · as HSB 537
6. February 11, 2026Committee vote: 7–4 · as HSB 537
7. February 16, 2026Filed in the House
8. February 16, 2026Approved by the House committee, and given a new number: HF 2488 · as HSB 537
9. February 24, 2026Passed the House, 57–34
10. February 25, 2026Arrived in the Senate
11. March 4, 2026Senate subcommittee named: Pike, Quirmbach and Taylor
12. March 16, 2026Subcommittee recommended against it