HF 2185 (LSB 5991YH (9) 83)

HOUSE FILE 2185

BY  MURPHY, BERRY, FORD, ABDUL-SAMAD, and BURT

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the interviewing of racial and ethnic minority applicants by public school districts and accredited nonpublic schools and including effective date and applicability provisions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  280.30  Interviewing practices —— racial and ethnic minority applicants.
   1.  As used in this section, “racial and ethnic minority applicants” means individuals who are African Americans, Latinos, Asians or Pacific Islanders, American Indians, and Alaskan Native Americans.
   2.  Each public school shall interview qualified racial and ethnic minority applicants in proportion to the racial and ethnic minority population within the school district when hiring administrative and teaching staff for any administrative office or school building, unless the public school is unable to identify a qualified racial and ethnic minority applicant who is willing to interview for the position.
   3.  It is an affirmative defense against a claim of a violation of this section that a public school, in good faith, is unable to identify a qualified racial and ethnic minority applicant who is willing to interview for a position.
    Sec. 2.  EFFECTIVE UPON ENACTMENT AND APPLICABILITY.  This Act, being deemed of immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment and applies to applicable employment positions that become available for filling on or after the effective date of this Act.
EXPLANATION
   This bill requires public school districts to interview qualified racial and ethnic minority applicants in proportion to minority population within the school district when hiring administrative and teaching staff for any administrative office or school building. “Racial and ethnic minority applicants” is defined in the bill. The bill allows for the possibility that a qualified racial and ethnic minority applicant may not be available to be interviewed for such a position. The bill provides that such an occurrence is an affirmative defense to a claim of a violation of the bill. 
   This bill is effective upon enactment and applies to applicable employment positions that become available for filling on or after the effective date of the bill.