House File 517 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE
BY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES
(SUCCESSOR TO HSB 21)
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act requiring children to have a dental screening as a
2 condition of enrollment in elementary or high school and
3 providing an effective date.
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
5 TLSB 1211HV 82
6 nh/es/88
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 135.17 DENTAL SCREENING OF
1 2 CHILDREN.
1 3 1. a. A person shall not be enrolled in a public or
1 4 nonpublic elementary school without presenting evidence of
1 5 having, no earlier than three years of age but prior to
1 6 reaching six years of age, at a minimum, a dental screening
1 7 performed by a licensed physician as defined in chapter 148 or
1 8 150, a nurse licensed under chapter 152, a licensed physician
1 9 assistant as defined in section 148C.1, or a licensed dental
1 10 hygienist or dentist as defined in chapter 153. A person
1 11 shall not be enrolled in a public or nonpublic high school
1 12 without presenting evidence of having, at a minimum, a dental
1 13 screening performed within the prior year by a licensed dental
1 14 hygienist or dentist as defined in chapter 153.
1 15 b. A person performing a dental screening required by this
1 16 section shall record the fact of having conducted the
1 17 screening, and such additional information required by the
1 18 department, on uniform forms developed by the department in
1 19 cooperation with the department of education. The form shall
1 20 include a space for the person performing the screening to
1 21 summarize any condition that may indicate a need for special
1 22 services.
1 23 c. The department shall specify the procedures that
1 24 constitute a dental screening and authorize a waiver signed by
1 25 a licensed physician, nurse, physician assistant, dental
1 26 hygienist, or dentist for a person who is unduly burdened by
1 27 the screening requirement.
1 28 d. The dental screening requirement shall not apply to a
1 29 person who submits an affidavit signed by the person or, if
1 30 the person is a minor, the person's parent or legal guardian,
1 31 stating that the dental screening conflicts with a genuine and
1 32 sincere religious belief.
1 33 2. Each public and nonpublic school shall give notice of
1 34 the dental screening requirement to parents of students
1 35 enrolled or to be enrolled in the school at least ninety days
2 1 before the start of the school year in the manner prescribed
2 2 by the department.
2 3 3. A person may be provisionally enrolled in a public or
2 4 nonpublic elementary or high school if the person is in the
2 5 process of obtaining the required dental screening.
2 6 4. Each local board shall furnish the department, within
2 7 sixty days after the start of the school year, evidence that
2 8 each person enrolled in any public or nonpublic school within
2 9 the local board's jurisdiction has met the dental screening
2 10 requirement in this section.
2 11 5. The department shall adopt rules to administer this
2 12 section.
2 13 Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect July 1,
2 14 2008.
2 15 EXPLANATION
2 16 This bill requires all children, prior to their enrollment
2 17 in a public or nonpublic elementary or high school, to obtain
2 18 a dental screening. The bill requires the person performing
2 19 the screening to complete a uniform form regarding the
2 20 screening and requires the department of public health to
2 21 specify the procedures constituting a screening and to
2 22 authorize a waiver for persons who are unduly burdened by the
2 23 requirement. The screen requirement does not apply to a
2 24 person who submits an affidavit stating that the screening
2 25 conflicts with a genuine and sincere religious belief.
2 26 The bill requires schools to give notice to parents of the
2 27 screening requirement. The bill also provides for provisional
2 28 enrollment if a child is in the process of obtaining a
2 29 screening. Each local board of health is required to furnish
2 30 the department with evidence that all children enrolled in the
2 31 schools within the board's jurisdiction have met the screening
2 32 requirement.
2 33 The bill takes effect July 1, 2008.
2 34 LSB 1211HV 82
2 35 nh:rj/es/88