House File 2150 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2150 BY STAED , McKEAN , KURTZ , HUNTER , WINCKLER , EHLERT , MASCHER , DONAHUE , COHOON , B. MEYER , STECKMAN , ANDERSON , GASKILL , JACOBY , ABDUL-SAMAD , and WILBURN A BILL FOR An Act providing for a work group, study, and report on 1 hiring practices, recruitment, and background checks for 2 employment of school bus drivers, and including effective 3 date provisions. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 5740YH (3) 88 je/jh
H.F. 2150 Section 1. STUDY OF HIRING AND BACKGROUND CHECKS OF SCHOOL 1 BUS DRIVERS —— DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION STUDY AND REPORT. 2 1. The department of education shall convene and provide 3 administrative support to a work group to study hiring 4 practices, recruitment, and background checks for employment of 5 school bus drivers. The study shall include ways to improve 6 such background checks in Iowa, including national background 7 checks by the department of public safety; the most effective 8 means to implement procedures for notifying school districts 9 and nonpublic schools automatically when a school bus driver 10 commits a driving offense; and developing uniform practices 11 among Iowa schools in the interpretation and enforcement of 12 section 321.375, subsection 3, paragraph “d”, for the safety 13 of students. The study shall also consider school bus driver 14 hiring practices and recruitment policies from other states, 15 and any recommendations to address policy changes concerning 16 school bus drivers to maintain student transportation safety. 17 2. a. The membership of the work group shall include a 18 representative of each of the following: 19 (1) The department of education. 20 (2) The department of transportation. 21 (3) The department of public safety. 22 (4) A statewide group representing public transit systems. 23 (5) A statewide group representing teachers. 24 (6) A statewide group representing school board members. 25 (7) A statewide group representing school administrators. 26 (8) A statewide group representing authorities in charge of 27 accredited nonpublic schools. 28 (9) The background checking industry. 29 b. In addition, the work group membership shall include 30 four members of the general assembly. The legislative members 31 shall serve as ex officio, nonvoting members of the work group, 32 with one member to be appointed by each of the following: the 33 majority leader of the senate, the minority leader of the 34 senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the 35 -1- LSB 5740YH (3) 88 je/jh 1/ 2
H.F. 2150 minority leader of the house of representatives. 1 c. Any expenses incurred by a member of the work group 2 shall be the responsibility of the individual member or the 3 respective entity represented by the member. 4 3. The work group shall submit its findings and 5 recommendations, including any proposed legislation, in a 6 report to the general assembly, the governor, and the state 7 board of education by November 20, 2020. 8 Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of immediate 9 importance, takes effect upon enactment. 10 EXPLANATION 11 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 12 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 13 This bill requires the department of education to convene 14 and provide administrative support to a work group to study 15 hiring practices, recruitment, and background checks for 16 employment of school bus drivers. The bill establishes the 17 membership of the work group, including ex officio, nonvoting 18 legislative members. 19 The work group shall submit its findings and 20 recommendations, including any proposed legislation, in 21 a report to the general assembly, the governor, and the state 22 board of education by November 20, 2020. 23 The bill takes effect upon enactment. 24 -2- LSB 5740YH (3) 88 je/jh 2/ 2