HF 883 (LSB 2761HV (2) 91)

HOUSE FILE 883

BY  COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

(SUCCESSOR TO HF 543)

A BILL FOR

An Act providing for access to feminine hygiene products in public school restrooms and making an appropriation.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  279.87  Access to feminine hygiene products —— restrooms —— appropriation.
   1.  The board of directors of a school district shall ensure that feminine hygiene products can be accessed by female students without cost in the women’s restrooms in school buildings in the district where students in grades six through twelve are educated and that the supply of feminine hygiene products is refilled regularly. For purposes of this section, “feminine hygiene products” means sanitary napkins, tampons, or other similar items used for feminine hygiene.
   2.  There is appropriated annually from the general fund of the state to the department of education for the period beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2028, an amount necessary to fund the full cost of compliance with this section by school districts. The department shall establish processes for school districts to submit the documented cost of compliance with this section to the department on a quarter, trimester, or semester basis and for the department to reimburse school districts for such costs. The department may adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to administer this subsection. This subsection is repealed July 1, 2028.
    Sec. 2.  STATE MANDATE FUNDING SPECIFIED.  In accordance with section 25B.2, subsection 3, the state cost of requiring compliance with any state mandate included in this Act shall be paid by a school district from funds appropriated by section 279.84, subsection 2, as enacted by this Act, and, for school years beginning on or after July 1, 2028, from state school foundation aid received by the school district under section 257.16. This specification of the payment of the state cost shall be deemed to meet all of the state funding-related requirements of section 25B.2, subsection 3, and no additional state funding shall be necessary for the full implementation of this Act by and enforcement of this Act against all affected school districts.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill requires school boards to ensure that feminine hygiene products can be accessed by female students without cost in the women’s restrooms in school buildings in the district where students in grades 6 through 12 are educated and that the supply of feminine hygiene products is refilled regularly. The bill defines “feminine hygiene products” as sanitary napkins, tampons, or other similar items used for feminine hygiene.
   The bill appropriates an amount necessary to fund the full cost of compliance with the bill by school districts from the general fund of the state to the department of education for the period beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2028. The bill directs the department to establish processes for school districts to submit the documented cost of compliance to the department and for the department to reimburse school districts for such costs.
   The bill may include a state mandate as defined in Code section 25B.3. The bill requires that the state cost of any state mandate included in the bill be paid by a school district from funds appropriated by the bill, and, for school years beginning on or after July 1, 2028, from state school foundation aid received by the school district under Code section 257.16. The specification is deemed to constitute state compliance with any state mandate funding-related requirements of Code section 25B.2. The inclusion of this specification is intended to reinstate the requirement of political subdivisions to comply with any state mandates included in the bill.