House File 2187 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2187 BY BARKER A BILL FOR An Act requiring the boards of directors of school districts 1 to allow certain youth-oriented community organizations 2 reasonable access to school property. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 6068HH (1) 91 jda/jh

H.F. 2187 Section 1. Section 297.9, Code 2026, is amended to read as 1 follows: 2 297.9 Use for other than school purposes. 3 1. The board of directors of any school district may 4 authorize the use of any schoolhouse and its grounds within 5 such district for the purpose of meetings of granges, 6 lodges, agricultural societies, and similar societies, for 7 parent-teacher associations, for community recreational 8 activities, community education programs, election purposes, 9 other meetings of public interest, public forums and similar 10 community purposes; provided that such use shall in no way 11 interfere with school activities; such use to be for such 12 compensation and upon such terms and conditions as may be fixed 13 by said board for the proper protection of the schoolhouse 14 and the property belonging therein, including that of pupils, 15 except that in the case of community education programs, any 16 compensation necessary for programs provided specifically by 17 community education and not those provided through community 18 education by other agencies or organizations shall be 19 compensated from the funding provided for community education 20 programs. 21 2. a. The board of directors of each school district 22 shall allow a youth-oriented community organization reasonable 23 access to any schoolhouse and its grounds within such district 24 to distribute and provide instructional materials in order 25 to encourage participation in the youth-oriented community 26 organization. 27 b. The board of directors of each school district shall 28 establish terms and conditions governing the reasonable 29 access provided to a youth-oriented community organization 30 under paragraph “a” to provide for the proper protection of 31 students enrolled in the school district, employees of the 32 school district, the schoolhouse, and the property within the 33 schoolhouse. The terms and conditions governing the reasonable 34 access must satisfy all of the following requirements: 35 -1- LSB 6068HH (1) 91 jda/jh 1/ 2

H.F. 2187 (1) Prohibit a youth-oriented community organization from 1 interfering with classroom instructional time. 2 (2) When it can be reasonably accommodated, allow a 3 youth-oriented community organization to have access to 4 after-school events, including back-to-school events. 5 c. For purposes of this subsection, “youth-oriented 6 community organization” means any patriotic and national 7 organization described in 36 U.S.C. §20101 – 240112, as of July 8 1, 2018. 9 EXPLANATION 10 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 11 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 12 This bill requires the boards of directors of school 13 districts to allow certain youth-oriented community 14 organizations reasonable access to school property. 15 The bill requires the board of directors of each school 16 district to allow a youth-oriented community organization to 17 have reasonable access to any schoolhouse and its grounds 18 to distribute and provide instructional materials in order 19 to encourage participation in the youth-oriented community 20 organization. The school district is required to establish 21 terms and conditions governing the reasonable access provided 22 to a youth-oriented community organization to provide for the 23 proper protection of students enrolled in the school district, 24 employees of the school district, the schoolhouse, and the 25 property within the schoolhouse. The terms and conditions 26 must prohibit a youth-oriented community organization from 27 interfering with classroom instructional time and allow 28 a youth-oriented community organization to have access 29 to after-school events when such access can be reasonably 30 accommodated. The bill defines “youth-oriented community 31 organization” by reference to federal law related to patriotic 32 and national organizations. 33 -2- LSB 6068HH (1) 91 jda/jh 2/ 2