HF 2049 (LSB 5496YH (5) 88)

HOUSE FILE 2049

BY  KRESSIG, R. SMITH, GASKILL, STECKMAN, BROWN-POWERS, DONAHUE, WILLIAMS, STAED, ANDERSON, A. MEYER, THEDE, KURTZ, McKEAN, BEARINGER, MASCHER, B. MEYER, WOLFE, COHOON, FORBES, WINCKLER, KURTH, JAMES, HUNTER, BENNETT, ISENHART, SUNDE, MATSON, LENSING, WESSEL-KROESCHELL, GAINES, McCONKEY, OURTH, WILBURN, RUNNING-MARQUARDT, KACENA, NIELSEN, EHLERT, BRECKENRIDGE, and ABDUL-SAMAD

A BILL FOR

An Act requiring school employee training and protocols relating to children’s mental health, requiring that suicide prevention information be included on secondary student identification cards, and including effective date and applicability provisions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 256.7, subsection 33, paragraph b, Code 2020, is amended to read as follows:
   b.  Adopt rules to require school districts to adopt protocols for suicide prevention and postvention, and the identification of adverse childhood experiences and strategies to mitigate toxic stress response, and children’s mental health supports. The protocols shall be based on nationally recognized best practices.
    Sec. 2.  Section 279.70, Code 2020, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  4.  By July 1, 2020, the board of directors of a school district shall require annual, evidence-based, evidence-supported training on mental health awareness for all school personnel who hold a license, certificate, authorization, or statement of recognition issued by the board of educational examiners and who have regular contact with students in kindergarten through grade twelve. The content of the training shall be based on nationally recognized best practices.
    Sec. 3.  NEW SECTION.  279.72  Student identification cards —— suicide prevention information.
  A public school that issues identification cards to students in grades six through twelve shall include on either side of the identification card the telephone number for the national suicide prevention lifeline and the crisis text line.
    Sec. 4.  EMERGENCY RULES.  The board of education may adopt emergency rules under section 17A.4, subsection 3, and section 17A.5, subsection 2, paragraph “b”, to implement the provisions of this Act and the rules shall be effective immediately upon filing unless a later date is specified in the rules. Any rules adopted in accordance with this section shall also be published as a notice of intended action as provided in section 17A.4.
    Sec. 5.  IMPLEMENTATION OF ACT.  Section 25B.2, subsection 3, shall not apply to this Act.
    Sec. 6.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  This Act, being deemed of immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment.
    Sec. 7.  APPLICABILITY.  This Act applies to student identification cards issued on or after the effective date of this Act. A public school that has a supply of unused student identification cards shall utilize that supply prior to complying with the requirements of this Act relating to student identification cards. 
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill requires the board of education to adopt rules to require school districts to adopt protocols for children’s mental health supports based on nationally recognized best practices. The bill requires school boards to require by July 1, 2020, annual, evidence-based, evidence-supported training on mental health awareness for all school personnel who hold a license, certificate, authorization, or statement of recognition issued by the board of educational examiners and who have regular contact with students in kindergarten through grade 12. The content of the training shall be based on nationally recognized best practices.
   The bill requires that public schools that educate students in grades 6 through 12 to include on either side of identification cards issued to students the telephone number for the national suicide prevention lifeline and the crisis text line.
   The bill may include a state mandate as defined in Code section 25B.3. The bill makes inapplicable Code section 25B.2, subsection 3, which would relieve a political subdivision from complying with a state mandate if funding for the cost of the state mandate is not provided or specified. Therefore, political subdivisions are required to comply with any state mandate included in the bill. 
   The bill authorizes emergency rulemaking to implement the bill. The bill applies to student identification cards issued on or after the effective date of the bill. A public school that has a supply of unused student identification cards shall utilize that supply prior to complying with the requirements of the bill relating to student identification cards. 
   The bill takes effect upon enactment.