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Kathleen R. Weinberg, MSN, RN, Executive Director

Rulemaking Overview

Agencies Adopt Rules to Implement Statutes

Administrative rules are adopted to implement statutes passed by the Iowa legislature and signed into law by the Governor. Statutes are published in the Iowa Code. Agencies adopt rules to implement new state legislation, amend or update existing rules, and to implement federal requirements. The philosophy and mechanics of the Iowa rulemaking process are found in Iowa Code Chapter 17A (Iowa Administrative Procedures Act), with additional provisions in Iowa Code Chapter 2B (Local Publications), and Iowa Code sections 3.6 (Acts- where deposited – nullification), 7.17(Office of the Administrative Coordinator), and 25B.6 (State rules)

Process Overview

  • Board Proposes Rules. Once proposed, new rules, or amendments to existing rules, are approved by the Board a Notice of Intended Action is filed with the Governor’s Administrative Rules Coordinator to initiate the rulemaking procedure.
  • Proposed Rules Published in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin (IAB). All rulemaking by agencies is published in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin, a biweekly publication. It also contains Proclamations and Executive Orders of the Governor which are general and permanent in nature; Regulatory Analyses; effective date delays and objectives filed by the Administrative Rules Review Committee; Agenda for monthly Administrative Rules Review Committee meetings; and other materials deemed fitting and proper by the Administrative Rules Review Committee. See this link: Iowa Administrative Bulletin for more information. 
  • Comment Period and Public Hearing. Before proposed rules are adopted there is a comment period during which time members of the public can express their opinions about the proposed rules. Agencies also schedule a public hearing to receive comments about pending rulemaking.
  • Review by the Administrative Rules Review Committee (ARRC). The ARRC is a 10-member, bipartisan, legislative committee. The committee meets monthly to review the pending rulemaking published in the IAB. Meetings of the ARRC are open to the public.
  • Board Adopts Final Rules. Following the comment period and public hearing, the Board will review and consider all comments received. The Board may decide to make changes to the proposed rules in response to comments, adopt final rules that are the same as the proposed rules, or terminate the rulemaking. Once final rules are approved by the Board, they are filed with the Governor’s Administrative Rules Coordinator.
  • Final Rules Published in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin (IAB). Final rules are published in the IAB. In the preamble of the filing, the Board will describe the comments received and identify any changes made to the proposed rules.
  • Final Rules Reviewed by the Administrative Rules Review Committee (ARRC).
  • Final Rules Published in the Iowa Administrative Code. At the conclusion of the rulemaking process the Board’s rules are published at the Iowa Administrative Code (IAC) site. 

Additional Rulemaking Information

For additional information about Iowa’s rulemaking process, please visit https://rules.iowa.gov/. 

Rulemaking Timeline

The rulemaking process typically takes at least 108 days.  See the flowchart of the Rulemaking Process.

The agency rules administrator is the official responsible for the administration of the agency rulemaking process. If you have any questions about current or pending agency rules for the Iowa Board of Nursing, contact the agency rules administrator:

Iowa Board of Nursing

Attn: Executive Director

400 S.W. 8th Street, Suite B

Des Moines, IA 50309

 

Phone: 515.281.3255

Fax: 515.281.4855