Senate File 2132 - Introduced SENATE FILE 2132 BY DONAHUE A BILL FOR An Act requiring boards of directors of school districts and 1 the authorities in charge of accredited nonpublic schools 2 to adopt policies related to excusing the absences of 3 students enrolled in grades nine through twelve for civic or 4 political events. 5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 6 TLSB 5942XS (2) 90 jda/jh

S.F. 2132 Section 1. Section 299.1, Code 2024, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsection: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 3. a. The board of directors of each 3 public school district and the governing body of each 4 accredited nonpublic school shall adopt a policy that requires 5 the school district or accredited nonpublic school to grant 6 a student who is enrolled in grades nine through twelve at 7 least one excused absence each school year when the student is 8 absent from school because of the student’s participation in a 9 civic or political event. The policy shall require all of the 10 following: 11 (1) The board of directors of the school district or the 12 governing body of the accredited nonpublic school shall not 13 grant the student an excused absence to participate in the 14 civic or political event unless the student gives notice of 15 the student’s intent to participate in the civic or political 16 event to an administrator employed by the board of directors 17 of the school district or the governing body of the accredited 18 nonpublic school in advance of the civic or political event. 19 (2) The student shall demonstrate the student’s knowledge 20 of the civic or political event in which the student 21 participated by preparing a short essay, presenting information 22 related to the civic or political event, or through any 23 other means the school determines will demonstrate a proper 24 representation of what the student learned during the civic or 25 political event. 26 b. For purposes of this subsection, “civic or political 27 event” includes all of the following: 28 (1) Voting in an election. 29 (2) Serving as a poll worker. 30 (3) Participating in a strike. 31 (4) Participating in a public comment period before any 32 public body. 33 (5) Attending a speech by a candidate for a public office. 34 (6) Attending a political forum. 35 -1- LSB 5942XS (2) 90 jda/jh 1/ 2

S.F. 2132 (7) Attending a civic forum. 1 (8) Attending a town hall meeting. 2 EXPLANATION 3 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 4 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 5 This bill requires boards of directors of school districts 6 and the authorities in charge of accredited nonpublic schools 7 to adopt policies related to excusing the absences of students 8 enrolled in grades 9 through 12 for civic or political events. 9 The bill requires the board of directors of each public 10 school district and the authorities in charge of each 11 accredited nonpublic school to adopt a policy that requires 12 the school district or accredited nonpublic school to grant a 13 student who is enrolled in grades 9 through 12 at least one 14 excused absence each school year when the student is absent 15 from school because of the student’s participation in a civic 16 or political event. The bill establishes that such policy is 17 to include a requirement that the student give notice of the 18 student’s intent to participate in the civic or political event 19 in advance and a requirement that the student demonstrate what 20 the student learned during the student’s participation in the 21 civic or political event. 22 The bill defines “civic or political event” to include 23 voting in an election, serving as a poll worker, participating 24 in a strike, participating in a public comment period before 25 any public body, attending a speech by a candidate for a public 26 office, attending a political forum, attending a civic forum, 27 or attending a town hall meeting. 28 -2- LSB 5942XS (2) 90 jda/jh 2/ 2