Rep. Rogers Has Asked Attorney General For Legal Opinion on Price Lab Closure Plans

Rep. Walt Rogers, R-Cedar Falls, has asked Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller for a legal opinion on whether the Iowa Board of Regents has the authority to close .

The school has been designated by the Iowa Legislature as Iowa's Research and Development school, so some have maintained it would take an act of the legislature to close the school.

Others have said the could maintain the Research and Development School without Price Lab, and that the Regents do not have to get approval from the legislature.

At a community meeting Feb. 29, some local legislators, including Rogers, whether the legislature had the authority to intervene in its closure.

"As I’ve continued to receive a lot of emails and questions and phone calls, one of the things that keep popping up on both sides of the issue is the transparency... and just understanding the process," Rogers said today. "Typically when there are issues of legality in Iowa code, we ask the Attorney General's office."

He cosigned a letter to Miller with Rep. Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, and Rep. Chris Hagenow, R-Windsor Heights. He said they have asked for an expedited decision and hope to have a decision within a few weeks.

“If they agree with the Regents, I don’t know what we’ll be able to do at that point,” he said.