Bill Text: IA SF372 | 2017-2018 | 87th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act relating to the activities and duties of the state board of regents and the board’s administrative office.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-01-09 - Subcommittee: Sinclair, Chelgren, and Danielson. S.J. 68. [SF372 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2017-SF372-Introduced.html
Senate File 372 - Introduced SENATE FILE BY DANIELSON A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to the activities and duties of the state board 2 of regents and the board's administrative office. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: TLSB 2196SS (6) 87 kh/jh PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 262.3 Board and board office ==== 1 2 prohibited activities. 1 3 1. A member of the state board of regents, the executive 1 4 director of the board, and professional staff employed for 1 5 the administration of the board's office shall not have any 1 6 business or financial relationship with any person employed by 1 7 an institution governed by the board. 1 8 2. A person who registers as a lobbyist pursuant to section 1 9 68B.36 on behalf of a person who is a member of the state 1 10 board of regents or on behalf of that member's business or 1 11 employer shall not, within two years after the termination of 1 12 such service or employment as a lobbyist, become a lobbyist, 1 13 state relations officer, or governmental liaison for any 1 14 office, program, or department of an institution governed or 1 15 administered by the board. 1 16 Sec. 2. Section 262.8, Code 2017, is amended to read as 1 17 follows: 1 18 262.8 Meetings ==== public forums ==== public readings. 1 19 1. The board shall meet four times a year. Special meetings 1 20 may be called by the board, by the president of the board, or 1 21 by the executive director of the board upon written request of 1 22 any five members thereof. 1 23 2. Each regular meeting of the state board of regents 1 24 shall begin with at least thirty minutes for public comment if 1 25 requested by members of the public. A member of the public 1 26 shall be granted up to five minutes to make comments and may be 1 27 granted more time by a member of the board. 1 28 3. At least two members of the state board of regents 1 29 shall hold public forums at which issues relating to the 1 30 activities of the board and the institutions the board governs 1 31 can be discussed and addressed. The forums shall provide 1 32 the community with opportunities to pose questions, receive 1 33 answers, and make comments. The board shall divide the 1 34 state into at least six geographic regions, including but 1 35 not limited to northwest, southwest, north central, south 2 1 central, northeast, and southeast Iowa, and shall hold a forum 2 2 in accordance with this subsection in each region at least 2 3 quarterly. Notice of a forum shall be prominently posted on 2 4 the board's internet site at least two weeks prior to the date 2 5 of the forum. 2 6 4. The board shall hold public readings of a proposal at two 2 7 regular meetings of the board before the board takes action on 2 8 a proposal before the board if the proposal affects an academic 2 9 program at an institution governed by the board, or if the 2 10 estimated cost of the proposal is one hundred thousand dollars 2 11 or more. A quorum of the board must be physically present at 2 12 any board meeting that includes a public reading required by 2 13 this subsection. The affirmative vote of a majority of the 2 14 membership of the board is necessary for any action to be taken 2 15 by the board on a proposal subject to this subsection. 2 16 Sec. 3. Section 262.12, Code 2017, is amended to read as 2 17 follows: 2 18 262.12 Committees and administrative offices under board. 2 19 1. The state board of regents shallalsohave and exercise 2 20 all the powers necessary and convenient for the effective 2 21 administration of its office and of the institutions under 2 22 its control, and to this end may create such committees, 2 23 offices and agencies from its own members or others, and employ 2 24 persons to staff the same, fix their compensation and tenure 2 25 and delegate thereto, or to the administrative officers and 2 26 faculty of the institutions under its control, such part of the 2 27 authority and duties vested by statute in the board, and shall 2 28 formulate and establish such rules, outline such policies and 2 29 prescribe such procedures therefor, all as may be desired or 2 30 determined by the board as recorded in their minutes. 2 31 2. The board of regents shall publish on its internet 2 32 site specific criteria, including qualification requirements 2 33 and preferences, for electing a president of any institution 2 34 of higher learning governed by the board pursuant to section 2 35 262.9, subsection 2. 3 1 3. The board shall determine and adopt by rule the necessary 3 2 qualifications, abilities, experience, and technical knowledge 3 3 required for each position of employment within the office 3 4 of the board. Notwithstanding subsection 1, in filling 3 5 any position of employment in the office of the board, the 3 6 executive director shall post public notice of the position 3 7 title, the qualifications for the position, and the application 3 8 deadline to fill the position on the board's internet site at 3 9 least two weeks before the deadline. The executive director 3 10 shall review each applicant's qualifications and shall approve 3 11 the employment of an applicant only when the applicant's 3 12 qualifications meet the minimum job qualifications for the 3 13 position as established by the board. 3 14 EXPLANATION 3 15 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 3 16 the explanation's substance by the members of the general assembly. 3 17 This bill relates to activities and duties of the state 3 18 board of regents, the executive director of the board, and the 3 19 persons employed in the office of the state board. 3 20 The bill provides that the board and its executive director 3 21 and professional staff in the board's office are prohibited 3 22 from having any business or financial relationship with any 3 23 person employed by an institution governed by the board. 3 24 A person who registers as a lobbyist on behalf of a person 3 25 who is a member of the board or on behalf of that member's 3 26 business or employer shall not within two years after the 3 27 termination of such service or employment as a lobbyist become 3 28 a lobbyist, state relations officer, or governmental liaison 3 29 for any office, program, or department of an institution 3 30 governed or administered by the board. 3 31 If a proposal before the board affects an institution's 3 32 academic program or if its estimated cost is $100,000 or 3 33 more, the bill requires that the board hold public readings 3 34 of the proposal at two regular meetings of the board before 3 35 taking action on the proposal. A quorum of the board must be 4 1 physically present at these meetings, and the proposal must 4 2 receive the affirmative vote of a majority of the membership 4 3 for any action to be taken on the proposal. 4 4 At least two members of the board shall hold public forums in 4 5 each of at least six geographic regions of the state quarterly. 4 6 Notice of a forum must be prominently posted on the board's 4 7 internet site at least two weeks prior to the date of the 4 8 forum. 4 9 Each regular board meeting shall begin with at least 30 4 10 minutes for public comment if requested by members of the 4 11 public. A member of the public shall be granted up to five 4 12 minutes to make comments and may be granted more time by a 4 13 member of the board. 4 14 The board must publish on its internet site specific 4 15 criteria for electing a president of a regents university. 4 16 The board must also adopt by rule the qualifications for 4 17 each job in the office of the board. The executive director 4 18 must post public notice of an open employment position on 4 19 the board's internet site at least two weeks before the 4 20 application deadline, and shall review the qualifications of 4 21 each applicant. The executive director shall not approve the 4 22 employment of an applicant whose qualifications do not meet the 4 23 minimum qualifications set by the board. 4 24 The bill includes conforming changes. LSB 2196SS (6) 87 kh/jh
