House
File
884
-
Introduced
HOUSE
FILE
884
BY
COMMITTEE
ON
EDUCATION
(SUCCESSOR
TO
HF
334)
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
authorizing
school
districts,
charter
schools,
and
1
innovation
zone
schools
to
employ
chaplains,
or
engage
2
volunteer
chaplains,
to
provide
services
to
students.
3
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
4
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2254HV
(2)
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H.F.
884
Section
1.
Section
256E.7,
subsection
1,
Code
2025,
is
1
amended
by
adding
the
following
new
paragraph:
2
NEW
PARAGRAPH
.
j.
Employ
chaplains,
or
engage
chaplains
to
3
serve
without
compensation
or
remuneration,
in
the
same
manner
4
as
a
school
district
under
section
279.87.
5
Sec.
2.
Section
256F.4,
Code
2025,
is
amended
by
adding
the
6
following
new
subsection:
7
NEW
SUBSECTION
.
9.
A
charter
school
or
innovation
zone
8
school
may
employ
chaplains,
or
engage
chaplains
to
serve
9
without
compensation
or
remuneration,
in
the
same
manner
as
a
10
school
district
under
section
279.87.
11
Sec.
3.
NEW
SECTION
.
279.87
School
chaplains.
12
1.
The
board
of
directors
of
a
school
district
may
employ
a
13
chaplain,
or
engage
a
chaplain
to
serve
without
compensation
or
14
remuneration,
to
provide
support,
services,
and
programs
for
15
students
as
assigned
by
the
board
of
directors
of
the
school
16
district.
17
2.
a.
Subject
to
paragraph
“b”
,
the
board
of
directors
of
18
a
school
district
may
establish
qualifications,
credentialing,
19
and
other
requirements
related
to
chaplains
who
are
employed
or
20
engaged
pursuant
to
this
section.
21
b.
The
board
of
directors
of
a
school
district
shall
not
22
require
a
chaplain
employed
or
engaged
under
this
section
to
23
have
a
license,
endorsement,
certification,
authorization,
or
24
statement
of
recognition
issued
by
the
board
of
educational
25
examiners.
26
3.
The
procedure
for
background
investigations
and
27
termination
established
in
section
279.69
shall
apply
to
28
chaplains
employed
or
engaged
under
this
section.
29
4.
The
board
of
directors
of
a
school
district
shall
not
30
require
or
coerce
a
student
to
utilize
the
support,
services,
31
or
programs
provided
by
a
chaplain
who
is
employed
or
engaged
32
by
the
board
of
directors
of
the
school
district
pursuant
to
33
this
section.
34
EXPLANATION
35
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The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
1
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
2
This
bill
authorizes
school
districts,
charter
schools,
3
and
innovation
zone
schools
to
employ
chaplains,
or
engage
4
volunteer
chaplains,
to
provide
support,
services,
and
programs
5
for
students.
These
schools
may
establish
qualifications,
6
credentialing,
and
other
requirements
related
to
chaplains
who
7
are
employed
or
engaged
under
the
bill’s
provisions;
however,
8
such
chaplains
are
not
required
to
have
a
license,
endorsement,
9
certification,
authorization,
or
statement
of
recognition
10
issued
by
the
board
of
educational
examiners.
The
bill
11
requires
school
districts,
charter
schools,
and
innovation
zone
12
schools
to
follow
the
background
investigation
and
termination
13
procedures
established
under
Code
section
279.69
when
employing
14
chaplains
or
engaging
volunteer
chaplains.
The
bill
prohibits
15
school
districts,
charter
schools,
and
innovation
zone
schools
16
from
requiring
or
coercing
a
student
to
utilize
the
support,
17
services,
or
programs
provided
by
a
chaplain.
18
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