House File 564 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 564 BY ABDUL-SAMAD , ANDREWS , JACOBY , MASCHER , SMITH , BROWN-POWERS , and JONES A BILL FOR An Act relating to student concussion and brain injury 1 policies. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1866YH (4) 89 je/jh

H.F. 564 Section 1. Section 280.13C, subsection 6, paragraph b, Code 1 2021, is amended to read as follows: 2 b. Personnel of a school district or accredited 3 nonpublic school with enrolled students who participate 4 in an extracurricular interscholastic activity which is 5 a contest in grades seven through twelve shall develop a 6 return-to-learn plan based on guidance developed by the brain 7 injury association of America protocols supported by guidelines 8 of the centers for disease control and prevention of the United 9 States department of health and human services in cooperation 10 with a student removed from participation in an extracurricular 11 interscholastic activity and diagnosed with a concussion 12 or brain injury, the student’s parent or guardian, and the 13 student’s licensed health care provider to accommodate the 14 student as the student returns to the classroom. 15 Sec. 2. Section 280.13C, subsection 6, Code 2021, is amended 16 by adding the following new paragraphs: 17 NEW PARAGRAPH . c. The department of public health, in 18 collaboration with the department of education, shall adopt 19 rules pursuant to chapter 17A establishing return-to-learn 20 protocols that will allow for education personnel and the 21 families of students diagnosed with a concussion or brain 22 injury to collaborate with licensed health care providers 23 to provide a process for a student to return to learn after 24 a concussion or brain injury. Such protocols shall include 25 peer reviewed information on the risks, signs, symptoms, 26 and behaviors consistent with a concussion or brain injury; 27 guidance on supporting a student at home and in nonschool 28 activities; and general recommendations for nonacademic 29 adjustments or accommodations. Such protocols shall also 30 include a requirement for prompt communication to the parent 31 or guardian of a student showing signs, symptoms, or behaviors 32 consistent with a concussion or brain injury at school, on 33 school grounds, or at a school activity of the process for 34 implementing a return-to-learn plan if the student is diagnosed 35 -1- LSB 1866YH (4) 89 je/jh 1/ 3

H.F. 564 with a concussion or brain injury. The protocols shall 1 prohibit a student that has been diagnosed with a concussion 2 or brain injury from returning to a complete learning schedule 3 without prior approval by a licensed health care provider. The 4 department of public health shall provide the return-to-learn 5 protocols to the board of directors of each school district and 6 the authorities in charge of each accredited nonpublic school, 7 which shall adopt the protocols in a timely manner. 8 NEW PARAGRAPH . d. For school years beginning on or after 9 July 1, 2021, the board of directors of each school district 10 and the authorities in charge of each accredited nonpublic 11 school shall provide the parent or guardian of each student 12 in grades kindergarten through twelve the return-to-learn 13 protocols as part of materials provided to parents or guardians 14 prior to the start of the school year. Such information shall 15 also be provided to a parent or guardian of a new student 16 arriving after the school year has started. 17 EXPLANATION 18 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 19 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 20 This bill provides that return-to-learn plans for a 21 student removed from participation in an extracurricular 22 interscholastic activity and diagnosed with a concussion or 23 brain injury shall be developed for students in grades 7 24 through 12 based on protocols supported by guidelines of the 25 centers for disease control and prevention of the United States 26 department of health and human services. Under current law, 27 such plans are developed for students in grades 7 through 12 28 based on guidance developed by the brain injury association of 29 America. 30 The bill requires the department of public health, in 31 collaboration with the department of education, to adopt rules 32 establishing return-to-learn protocols that will allow for 33 education personnel and the families of students diagnosed 34 with a concussion or brain injury to collaborate with licensed 35 -2- LSB 1866YH (4) 89 je/jh 2/ 3

H.F. 564 health care providers to provide a process for a student to 1 return to learn after a concussion or brain injury. The bill 2 specifies certain content for the protocols. The bill requires 3 the department of public health to provide the protocols to the 4 board of directors of each school district and the authorities 5 in charge of each accredited nonpublic school, which shall 6 adopt the protocols in a timely manner. 7 For school years beginning on or after July 1, 2021, the bill 8 requires the board of directors of each school district and 9 the authorities in charge of each accredited nonpublic school 10 to provide the parent or guardian of each student in grades 11 kindergarten through 12 the protocols as part of materials 12 provided to parents or guardians prior to the start of the 13 school year. Such information shall also be provided to a 14 parent or guardian of a new student arriving after the school 15 year has started. 16 -3- LSB 1866YH (4) 89 je/jh 3/ 3