HF 330 (LSB 2189YH (1) 90)

HOUSE FILE 330

BY  SHIPLEY

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to recitation of the state motto in school districts.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 280.5, Code 2023, is amended to read as follows:
   280.5  Display of United States flag and Iowa state flag —— pledge of allegiance —— state motto.
   1.  The board of directors of each public school district and the authorities in charge of each nonpublic school shall provide and maintain a suitable flagstaff on each school site under its control, and the United States flag and the Iowa state flag shall be raised on all school days when weather conditions are suitable.
   2.  a.  The board of directors of each public school district shall administer the pledge of allegiance in grades one through twelve each school day. Each classroom in which the pledge of allegiance is recited pursuant to this subsection shall display the United States flag during the recitation. A student shall not be compelled against the student’s objections or those of the student’s parent or guardian to recite the pledge.
   b.  After administering the pledge of allegiance, the board of directors of each public school district shall require students enrolled in grades one through twelve to recite the state motto established under section 1A.1. A student shall not be compelled against the student’s objections or those of the student’s parent or guardian to recite the state motto.
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 recitation of the state motto in school districts.
   Current law requires school districts to administer the pledge of allegiance in grades 1 through 12 each school day. The bill provides that, after administering the pledge of allegiance, students enrolled in grades 1 through 12 in school districts are required to recite the state motto, “our liberties we prize, and our rights we will maintain”. Additionally, the bill provides that a student shall not be compelled against the student’s objections or those of the student’s parent or guardian to recite the state motto.