House File 2285 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2285 BY THOMSON A BILL FOR An Act requiring schools to establish and offer a junior fire 1 fighter program to high school students. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 6811HH (2) 91 jda/jh

H.F. 2285 Section 1. Section 256E.7, subsection 2, Code 2026, is 1 amended by adding the following new paragraph: 2 NEW PARAGRAPH . 0w. Be subject to and comply with the 3 requirements of section 280.37 relating to offering a junior 4 fire fighter program to students enrolled in grades nine 5 through twelve in the same manner as a school district. 6 Sec. 2. Section 256F.4, subsection 2, Code 2026, is amended 7 by adding the following new paragraph: 8 NEW PARAGRAPH . 0t. Be subject to and comply with the 9 requirements of section 280.37 relating to offering a junior 10 fire fighter program to students enrolled in grades nine 11 through twelve in the same manner as a school district. 12 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION . 280.37 Junior fire fighter program. 13 1. The board of directors of each school district and the 14 authorities in charge of each accredited nonpublic school shall 15 offer to students enrolled in grades nine through twelve a 16 junior fire fighter program, either by establishing the program 17 or by partnering with or using the curriculum of a national 18 organization that provides a similar program, that meets all 19 of the following requirements: 20 a. Allows students to learn more about the work performed by 21 fire fighters and other emergency services providers in a safe 22 and controlled environment. 23 b. Provides students with valuable life skills, including 24 teamwork, leadership, responsibility, and commitment. 25 c. Fosters relationships between students and fire fighters 26 and other emergency services providers. 27 d. Promotes student participation in the fire services and 28 other emergency services fields after graduation. 29 2. The board of directors of each school district and the 30 authorities in charge of each accredited nonpublic school may 31 offer the junior fire fighter program to students enrolled in 32 grades nine through twelve as an extracurricular activity or 33 as part of the career and technical education curriculum under 34 section 256.11, subsection 5, paragraph “h” , subparagraph (1), 35 -1- LSB 6811HH (2) 91 jda/jh 1/ 3

H.F. 2285 subparagraph division (e). 1 Sec. 4. STATE MANDATE FUNDING SPECIFIED. In accordance 2 with section 25B.2, subsection 3, the state cost of requiring 3 compliance with any state mandate included in this Act shall 4 be paid by a school district from state school foundation aid 5 received by the school district under section 257.16. This 6 specification of the payment of the state cost shall be deemed 7 to meet all of the state funding-related requirements of 8 section 25B.2, subsection 3, and no additional state funding 9 shall be necessary for the full implementation of this Act 10 by and enforcement of this Act against all affected school 11 districts. 12 EXPLANATION 13 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 14 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 15 This bill requires school districts, accredited nonpublic 16 schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to 17 offer to students enrolled in grades 9 through 12 a junior 18 fighter program that allows students to learn more about the 19 work performed by fire fighters and other emergency services 20 providers in a safe and controlled environment, provides 21 students with valuable life skills, fosters relationships 22 between students and fire fighters and other emergency services 23 providers, and promotes student participation in the fire 24 services and other emergency services fields after graduation. 25 Schools are allowed to offer the junior fire fighter program as 26 an extracurricular activity or as part of the human services 27 component of the career and technical education curriculum. 28 Additionally, schools are allowed to establish the program 29 directly or to partner with or use the curriculum of a national 30 organization that provides a similar program. 31 The bill may include a state mandate as defined in Code 32 section 25B.3. The bill requires that the state cost of 33 any state mandate included in the bill be paid by a school 34 district from state school foundation aid received by the 35 -2- LSB 6811HH (2) 91 jda/jh 2/ 3

H.F. 2285 school district under Code section 257.16. The specification 1 is deemed to constitute state compliance with any state mandate 2 funding-related requirements of Code section 25B.2. The 3 inclusion of this specification is intended to reinstate the 4 requirement of political subdivisions to comply with any state 5 mandates included in the bill. 6 -3- LSB 6811HH (2) 91 jda/jh 3/ 3