Major Update: Iowa Passes Groundbreaking Anti-DEI Law

On April 18 and 19, the Iowa General Assembly passed the Education Appropriations bill – one of the strongest pieces of legislation pushing back on DEI in the country – thanks to leadership from Speaker Grassley and Representative Collins.

The bill effectively prohibits all public colleges and universities from maintaining a DEI office, compelling any person to provide a DEI statement, or giving preferential treatment to anyone on the basis of DEI principles. The bill also requires every public college and university to report on their compliance with this legislation each year, and gives the attorney general enforcement powers.

This is a huge blow to DEI offices in Iowa public colleges and universities, which have been problematic in recent years. For example, in 2022, the University of Iowa was urging hiring committees to make personnel decisions based on DEI criteria. Less than a year later, the Iowa Board of Regents launched an investigation into DEI at public universities. At the time, Do No Harm Chairman Dr. Stanley Goldfarb issued a letter praising the move—which ultimately resulted in the Board of Regents telling colleges and universities to cut back on DEI initiatives not needed for compliance with contracts or accreditation.

This legislation would build on the already-strong actions taken by the Board of Regents, and further codify protections against DEI at Iowa’s institutions of higher education.

The bill passed the Iowa House of Representatives by a vote of 52 to 43 on April 18, followed shortly by the Senate concurring on April 19 by a vote of 32 to 14. It will now head to Gov. Reynolds desk to be signed into law.

After the legislation passed, Rep. Collins praised Do No Harm and others for helping Iowa “kneecap these ideological enforcement centers with some of the strongest DEI language in the country.”