HF 504 (LSB 2314YH (3) 91)

HOUSE FILE 504

BY  KRESSIG, LEVIN, WICHTENDAHL, GJERDE, WILBURN, AMOS JR., McBURNEY, KURTH, BAETH, YOUNG, B. MEYER, MADISON, JACOBY, BAGNIEWSKI, SIECK, SIEGRIST, KONFRST, BROWN-POWERS, GOSA, and CROKEN

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to robotics, including by establishing a robotics grant program within the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics collaborative initiative and requiring the university of northern Iowa to develop a public-private partnership to support robotics competitions, and making appropriations.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 256.111, Code 2025, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  5A.  a.  The collaborative initiative shall develop and administer a robotics grant program to provide grants to school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to support robotics programs by offsetting costs associated with all of the following:
   (1)  The payment of stipends to members of school robotics teams.
   (2)  Fees, kits, and supplies that are required to establish or maintain a school robotics team or to participate in a robotics competition.
   (3)  Event registration, materials, transportation costs, travel costs, and other expenses related to attending a robotics competition.
   b.  The collaborative initiative shall establish the application processes, deadlines, eligibility requirements, and award criteria associated with the robotics grant program.
   c.  Moneys awarded under this subsection shall be used to supplement, not supplant, existing public funding used by a school district for similar purposes.
    Sec. 2.  DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION —— ROBOTICS GRANT PROGRAM.  There is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the department of education for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026, the following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purposes designated:
   For purposes of the robotics grant program established pursuant to section 256.111, subsection 5A, if enacted:
   ...................................................................... $    400,000
    Sec. 3.  UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA —— ROBOTICS COMPETITION.  There is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the state board of regents for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026, the following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purposes designated:
   For the university of northern Iowa for purposes of developing a public-private partnership with a person or persons who provide matching funds to support the Iowa regional FIRST robotics competition, including salaries, support, maintenance, and miscellaneous purposes:
   ...................................................................... $    100,000
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 robotics, including by establishing a robotics grant program within the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics collaborative initiative and requiring the university of northern Iowa to develop robotics competitions.
   The bill requires the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics collaborative initiative within the innovation division of the department of education to develop and administer a robotics grant program to provide grants to school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to support robotics programs by offsetting certain specified costs. The collaborative initiative is required to establish the application processes, deadlines, eligibility requirements, and award criteria associated with the robotics grant program. The bill appropriates $400,000 to the department of education for purposes of the robotics grant program for FY 2025-2026.
   The bill appropriates $100,000 for FY 2025-2026 to the state board of regents for the university of northern Iowa for purposes of developing a public-private partnership with a person or persons who provide matching funds to support the Iowa regional FIRST robotics competition.