HSB 200 (LSB 2801YC (1) 91)

HOUSE FILE _____ 

BY  (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY BILL BY CHAIRPERSON VONDRAN)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to firearm safety instruction in school districts.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 256.9, Code 2025, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  69.  a.  By July 1, 2026, develop and distribute to all school districts an age-appropriate model program for firearm safety instruction for students enrolled in kindergarten through grade twelve. The model program for students enrolled in kindergarten through grade six shall be based on the eddie eagle gunsafe program developed by the national rifle association. The model program for students enrolled in grades seven through twelve shall be based on the hunter education course developed by the national rifle association and, if adopted by a school district, would satisfy the school district’s responsibilities under section 279.50B.
   b.  School districts are encouraged to implement the model program for students enrolled in kindergarten through grade six developed pursuant to paragraph “a”.
    Sec. 2.  NEW SECTION.  279.50B  Firearm safety instruction.
   Commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 2026, the board of directors of each school district shall offer or make available an approved firearm safety instruction course to all students enrolled in the school district in grades seven through twelve and all students enrolled in grades seven through twelve attending a nonpublic school in the school district. An instructor for an approved firearm safety instruction course is not required to be a teacher licensed by the board of educational examiners. School districts may offer courses at sites that are not located on school district property, including nonpublic school facilities within the school district. An approved course offered during the summer months, on Saturdays, after regular school hours during the regular terms or partly in one term or summer vacation period and partly in the succeeding term or summer vacation period, as the case may be, shall satisfy the requirements of this section to the same extent as an approved course offered during the regular school hours of the school calendar.
    Sec. 3.
  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 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 relates to firearm safety instruction in school districts.
   The bill requires the director of the department of education to develop and distribute to all school districts an age-appropriate model program for firearm instruction for pupils enrolled in kindergarten through grade 12 by July 1, 2026. The model program for students enrolled in grades kindergarten through six is required to be based on the eddie eagle gunsafe program, and the model program for students enrolled in grades 7 through 12 is required to be based on the hunter education course developed by the national rifle association.
   Commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 2026, the bill requires school districts to offer or make available an approved firearm safety instruction course to all students enrolled in the school district in grades 7 through 12 and all students enrolled in grades 7 through 12 attending a nonpublic school in the school district. The bill provides that an instructor for an approved firearm safety instruction course is not required to be a teacher licensed by the board of educational examiners. The bill authorizes school districts to offer firearm safety instruction courses at sites that are not located on school district property. The bill provides that an approved course offered during the summer months, on Saturdays, after regular school hours during the regular terms or partly in one term or summer vacation period and partly in the succeeding term or summer vacation period shall satisfy the bill’s requirements.
   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 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.