HF 554 (LSB 2322YH (4) 91)

HOUSE FILE 554

BY  WICHTENDAHL, CROKEN, BAGNIEWSKI, KRESSIG, B. MEYER, JAMES, BROWN-POWERS, AMOS JR., KURTH, WESSEL-KROESCHELL, SRINIVAS, and McBURNEY

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to public schools, including by modifying provisions related to school district library programs and requests to remove educational materials from classrooms and school libraries.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 256.11, subsection 9, paragraph a, subparagraph (1), Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   (1)  Beginning July 1, 2023 2025, each school district shall employ either a qualified teacher librarian licensed by the board of educational examiners or a person previously employed as a librarian by a public library. The board of educational examiners shall not require an applicant for a teacher librarian license to have a master’s degree.
    Sec. 2.  Section 256.11, subsection 9, paragraph a, subparagraph (3), Code 2025, is amended by striking the subparagraph.
    Sec. 3.  Section 256E.7, subsection 2, paragraph q, Code 2025, is amended by striking the paragraph.
    Sec. 4.  Section 256F.4, subsection 2, paragraph o, Code 2025, is amended by striking the paragraph.
    Sec. 5.  Section 279.77, subsection 4, Code 2025, is amended by striking the subsection.
    Sec. 6.  REPEAL.  Section 279.81, Code 2025, is repealed.
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 public schools, including by modifying provisions related to school district library programs and requests to remove educational materials from classrooms and school libraries.
   Current law requires school districts to employ either a qualified teacher librarian licensed by the board of educational examiners or a person previously employed as a librarian by a public library. The bill modifies this provision to provide that, beginning July 1, 2025, each school district shall employ a qualified teacher librarian licensed by the board of educational examiners.
   Current law requires each school district to establish a kindergarten through grade 12 library program that contains only age-appropriate materials. Current law also establishes enforcement mechanisms related to this requirement that include the issuance of written warnings by the department of education and hearings before the board of educational examiners. The bill strikes the enforcement mechanisms.
   The bill strikes a provision of Code section 279.77 (transparency —— publication of school district information) that provides that the identity of a parent or guardian who requests the removal of a book, article, outline, handout, video, or other educational material that is available to students in the classroom or in a library operated by the school district shall be confidential and shall not be a public record subject to disclosure under Code chapter 22 (examination of public records).
   Current law prohibits school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools from allowing a student to serve on any committee that determines, or provides recommendations related to, whether a material in a library operated by the school should be removed. The bill strikes the provisions implementing these prohibitions.