House File 2512 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2512 BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION (SUCCESSOR TO HSB 682) A BILL FOR An Act relating to education, including by modifying provisions 1 related to revocation or denial of educator licenses and 2 certificates for publicly celebrating assassinations or 3 acts of politically motivated violence, student protests, 4 and including effective date and retroactive applicability 5 provisions. 6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 7 TLSB 5408HV (2) 91 jda/jh

H.F. 2512 Section 1. Section 256.146, Code 2026, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsections: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 28. a. Adopt rules pursuant to chapter 3 17A that require the board to disqualify an applicant for a 4 license or certificate, or to revoke the license or certificate 5 of a person, for publicly celebrating any act of politically 6 motivated violence, including the unlawful killing of Charles 7 J. Kirk, in a manner that satisfies any of the following 8 criteria: 9 (1) Demonstrates moral turpitude or unfitness to teach or 10 serve in a position of trust with children. 11 (2) Creates a substantial likelihood of material and 12 substantial disruption to the learning environment. 13 (3) Undermines public confidence in the integrity of the 14 education profession. 15 b. A single verified instance of celebrating an act 16 of politically motivated violence, including the unlawful 17 killing of Charles J. Kirk, whether on social media, in 18 public statements, or in any medium accessible to students 19 or the public, shall constitute sufficient grounds for such 20 disqualification or revocation. 21 c. The rules must require the board to initiate revocation 22 proceedings upon receipt of credible evidence that a person 23 holding a license or certificate publicly celebrated an act of 24 politically motivated violence, including the unlawful killing 25 of Charles J. Kirk. 26 d. As used in this subsection: 27 (1) “Celebrate” means to publicly express approval, joy, 28 satisfaction, or glee regarding an act of politically motivated 29 violence, including the unlawful killing of Charles J. Kirk. 30 “Celebrate” includes but is not limited to stating any of the 31 following on social media, in public statements, or in any 32 medium accessible to students or to the public: 33 (a) Good riddance. 34 (b) One less fascist. 35 -1- LSB 5408HV (2) 91 jda/jh 1/ 4

H.F. 2512 (c) He deserved it. 1 (d) Any statement that is substantially similar to the 2 statements in subparagraph divisions (a) through (c) and 3 that endorses or rejoices in an act of politically motivated 4 violence, including the unlawful killing of Charles J. Kirk. 5 (2) “Credible evidence” includes but is not limited to all 6 of the following: 7 (a) Screenshots. 8 (b) Videos. 9 (c) Sworn complaints. 10 NEW SUBSECTION . 29. a. The board shall adopt rules 11 pursuant to chapter 17A that prohibit the board from revoking, 12 suspending, or denying a license, certificate, authorization, 13 or statement of recognition issued by the board solely on the 14 basis of a person’s or applicant’s expression of any of the 15 following: 16 (1) Speech that is protected by the first amendment to the 17 Constitution of the United States, including political speech. 18 (2) A religious, political, or ideological viewpoint. 19 b. This subsection shall not be construed to prohibit 20 the board from disqualifying an applicant for a license or 21 certificate, or from revoking the license or certificate of a 22 person, pursuant to subsection 28. 23 NEW SUBSECTION . 30. a. The board shall adopt rules 24 pursuant to chapter 17A that require the board to revoke the 25 license of a teacher or administrator for encouraging or 26 leading a student protest. 27 b. For purposes of this subsection, “student protest” means 28 a coordinated event among three or more students enrolled in 29 a school district in which the students leave the classroom 30 during the school day to protest or draw attention to any 31 school policy, local policy, state policy, federal policy, or 32 any social issue. 33 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION . 279.89 Student protests. 34 1. The board of directors of a school district shall 35 -2- LSB 5408HV (2) 91 jda/jh 2/ 4

H.F. 2512 consider a student’s participation in a student protest as an 1 unexcused absence for purposes of chapter 299. 2 2. The board of directors of a school district shall extend 3 the school calendar established pursuant to section 279.10 4 by one day for each day that a student protest occurs in any 5 attendance center in the school district. 6 3. For purposes of this section, “student protest” means 7 a coordinated event among three or more students enrolled in 8 a school district in which the students leave the classroom 9 during the school day to protest or draw attention to any 10 school policy, local policy, state policy, federal policy, or 11 any social issue. 12 Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of immediate 13 importance, takes effect upon enactment. 14 Sec. 4. RETROACTIVE APPLICABILITY. The following applies 15 retroactively to September 10, 2025: 16 The portion of the section of this Act enacting section 17 256.146, subsection 28. 18 EXPLANATION 19 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 20 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 21 This bill relates to education, including by modifying 22 provisions related to revocation or denial of educator licenses 23 and certificates for publicly celebrating assassinations or 24 acts of politically motivated violence and student protests. 25 The bill requires the board of educational examiners (BOEE) 26 to disqualify an applicant for a license or certificate, 27 and to revoke the license or certificate of a person, for 28 publicly celebrating any act of politically motivated violence, 29 including the unlawful killing of Charles J. Kirk, in a 30 manner that demonstrates moral turpitude or unfitness to teach 31 or serve in a position of trust with children; creates a 32 substantial likelihood of material and substantial disruption 33 to the learning environment; or undermines public confidence in 34 the integrity of the education profession. A single verified 35 -3- LSB 5408HV (2) 91 jda/jh 3/ 4

H.F. 2512 instance of celebrating an act of politically motivated 1 violence, including the unlawful killing of Charles J. Kirk, 2 whether on social media, in public statements, or in any 3 medium accessible to students or the public, shall constitute 4 sufficient grounds for such disqualification or revocation. 5 The BOEE is required to initiate revocation proceedings upon 6 receipt of credible evidence that a person holding a license or 7 certificate publicly celebrated an act of politically motivated 8 violence, including the unlawful killing of Charles J. Kirk. 9 This provision applies retroactively to September 10, 2025. 10 The bill prohibits the BOEE from revoking, suspending, or 11 denying a license, certificate, authorization, or statement 12 of recognition issued by the BOEE solely on the basis of a 13 person’s or applicant’s expression of speech that is protected 14 by the first amendment to the Constitution of the United States 15 or a religious, political, or ideological viewpoint. The 16 bill provides that this provision shall not be construed to 17 prohibit the BOEE from disqualifying an applicant for a license 18 or certificate, or from revoking the license or certificate 19 of a person, for publicly celebrating an act of politically 20 motivated violence, including the unlawful killing of Charles 21 J. Kirk. 22 The bill requires the BOEE to revoke the license of a teacher 23 or administrator for encouraging or leading a student protest. 24 The bill requires school districts to consider a student’s 25 participation in a student protest as an unexcused absence for 26 purposes of Code chapter 299 (compulsory education). The bill 27 also requires the board of directors of a school district to 28 extend the school calendar for each day that a student protest 29 occurs in any attendance center in the school district. 30 The bill defines “celebrate”, “credible evidence”, and 31 “student protest”, and the bill is effective upon enactment. 32 -4- LSB 5408HV (2) 91 jda/jh 4/ 4