HF 2438 (LSB 5127YH (4) 90)

HOUSE FILE 2438

BY  STAED, GJERDE, AMOS JR., BAETH, KURTH, STECKMAN, CAHILL, JAMES, GAINES, ABDUL-SAMAD, KRESSIG, and BROWN-POWERS

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the security of school district buildings, including establishing the school security grant program within the department of education, establishing design and construction standards for new attendance centers, and making appropriations.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  256.20  School security —— grant program.
   1.  The department shall establish a school security grant program to provide grants to school districts to help school districts offset the cost associated with installing school safety and security infrastructure, including any of the following:
   a.  Security camera systems.
   b.  Metal detectors.
   c.  Security doors and security windows that can withstand breaching, bullets, and explosive blasts.
   2.  The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to administer this section, including rules relating to grant application materials, eligibility requirements, and award criteria.
   3.  Moneys awarded under this section shall be used to supplement, not supplant, existing public funding used by a school district for similar purposes.
   4.  A school security grant program fund is established in the state treasury. The fund shall be administered by and under the control of the department and shall consist of moneys appropriated by the general assembly and any other moneys received by the department for deposit in the fund. The moneys in the fund are appropriated to the department for the school security grant program. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys in the fund at the close of the fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund of the state but shall remain available for expenditure for the school security grant program for subsequent fiscal years. Notwithstanding section 12C.7, subsection 2, interest or earnings on moneys in the fund shall be credited to the fund.
   5.  For each fiscal year beginning on or after July 1, 2024, there is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the department the sum of three million dollars for the school security grant program.
    Sec. 2.  NEW SECTION.  279.84  Design and construction of new attendance centers.
   1.  All school district buildings that contain classrooms used for instructional purposes for elementary, middle, or secondary school students, that are designed and built on or after January 1, 2025, shall satisfy all of the following criteria:
   a.  Each door and window within classrooms in the school district building must be able to withstand breaching, bullets, and explosive blasts.
   b.  The school district building must have only one point of entry, and that point of entry must lead to a main office that is separated from the classrooms in the school district building by doors that can be locked.
   2.  The state board of education shall adopt rules under chapter 17A for the administration of this section.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill relates to the security of school district buildings, including establishing the school security grant program within the department of education (DE) and establishing design and construction standards for new attendance centers.
   The bill establishes that DE is to provide grants under the program to school districts to help offset the cost associated with installing school safety and security infrastructure, including security camera systems, metal detectors, and security doors and windows. The bill requires DE to adopt rules to administer the program. The bill provides that moneys awarded under the program shall be used to supplement, not supplant, existing public funding used by a school district for similar purposes.
   The bill establishes a school security grant program fund in the state treasury. The bill appropriates $3 million from the general fund to DE each fiscal year beginning on or after July 1, 2024, for purposes of the program. The bill provides that moneys in the fund at the close of the fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund of the state but shall remain available for expenditure under the program for subsequent fiscal years. The bill also provides that interest or earnings on moneys in the fund shall be credited to the fund.
   The bill requires that all school district buildings that contain classrooms used for instructional purposes that are designed and built on or after January 1, 2025, meet certain specified requirements related to school security, including each door and window within classrooms in the building must be able to withstand breaching, bullets, and explosive blasts, and the building must have only one point of entry, and that point of entry must lead to a main office that is separated from the classrooms in the building by doors that can be locked. The bill requires the state board of education to adopt rules to administer this provision.