House Study Bill 609 - Introduced HOUSE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC GROWTH AND TECHNOLOGY BILL BY CHAIRPERSON SORENSEN) A BILL FOR An Act modifying the duties of the workforce development 1 board, state board of education, and department of education 2 related to cyber and artificial intelligence. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 5715YC (2) 91 jda/jh

H.F. _____ Section 1. Section 84A.1B, Code 2026, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsection: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 6. Establish a comprehensive initiative to 3 address the state’s cyber and artificial intelligence workforce 4 needs. The comprehensive initiative must include all of the 5 following: 6 a. In conjunction with the department of education, support 7 for the development and implementation of standards for cyber 8 and artificial intelligence literacy within the kindergarten 9 through grade twelve public school curriculum. 10 b. Facilitation of partnerships between institutions of 11 higher learning governed by the state board of regents and 12 private industry to create internships, research opportunities, 13 and specialized degree programs. 14 c. Subject to an appropriation of funds by the general 15 assembly, establish and operate all of the following: 16 (1) A grant program to support educational institutions and 17 private sector entities in developing and expanding cyber and 18 artificial intelligence training programs. 19 (2) Programs designed to facilitate career transitions into 20 fields related to cyber or artificial intelligence for current 21 professionals, including but not limited to law enforcement 22 officers, teachers, and construction workers. 23 Sec. 2. Section 256.7, Code 2026, is amended by adding the 24 following new subsection: 25 NEW SUBSECTION . 36. Oversee, in consultation with the state 26 board of regents and the presidents of the community colleges 27 and the chancellors of the community colleges who serve as 28 the chief executive officers of such community colleges, the 29 implementation of educational frameworks from kindergarten 30 through higher education that include all of the following: 31 a. Prioritization of federal funding opportunities to bridge 32 the gap between kindergarten through grade twelve and higher 33 education in cyber and artificial intelligence. 34 b. Establishment of statewide, mandated outcomes or 35 -1- LSB 5715YC (2) 91 jda/jh 1/ 4

H.F. _____ standards for cyber and artificial intelligence literacy for 1 all students, from kindergarten through higher education, that 2 are based on successful outcomes or standards established in 3 other states. 4 c. Development and adoption of consistent statewide 5 standards and frameworks for cyber and artificial intelligence 6 education, from kindergarten through higher education. 7 d. (1) Establishment of a voluntary certification program 8 for school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter 9 schools, and innovation zone schools to achieve a designation 10 or certification recognizing that the school district, 11 accredited nonpublic school, charter school, or innovation 12 zone school is in compliance with established standards and 13 best practices related to cyber and artificial intelligence. 14 The state board, in consultation with the chief information 15 officer, shall establish such standards and best practices. 16 (2) The voluntary certification program described 17 in subparagraph (1) must satisfy all of the following 18 requirements: 19 (a) Be based on self-attestation by the school districts, 20 accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation 21 zone schools. 22 (b) Involve limited auditing and vetting by the department. 23 Sec. 3. Section 256.9, Code 2026, is amended by adding the 24 following new subsection: 25 NEW SUBSECTION . 80. Develop and implement, in consultation 26 with the department of public safety, a statewide community 27 education initiative for cyber and artificial intelligence 28 awareness that must include all of the following: 29 a. The creation of an accessible digital resource hub 30 for educational materials focused on high-need or at-risk 31 demographics. 32 b. The development of specific marketing campaigns and 33 educational content tailored to key demographic groups, 34 including the elderly, minors, law enforcement officers, and 35 -2- LSB 5715YC (2) 91 jda/jh 2/ 4

H.F. _____ educators. 1 EXPLANATION 2 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 3 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 4 This bill modifies the duties of the workforce development 5 board, state board of education, and department of education 6 related to cyber and artificial intelligence. 7 The bill requires the workforce development board to 8 establish a comprehensive initiative to address the state’s 9 cyber and artificial intelligence workforce needs. The 10 comprehensive initiative is required to include: support for 11 the development and implementation of standards for cyber 12 and artificial intelligence literacy within the kindergarten 13 through grade 12 public school curriculum; facilitation of 14 partnerships between institutions of higher learning governed 15 by the state board of regents and private industry to create 16 internships, research opportunities, and specialized degree 17 programs; and, subject to an appropriation of funds by the 18 general assembly, establish and operate a grant program to 19 support educational institutions and private sector entities 20 in developing and expanding cyber and artificial intelligence 21 training programs, and programs designed to facilitate 22 career transitions into fields related to cyber or artificial 23 intelligence for current professionals. 24 The bill requires the state board of education to oversee, 25 in consultation with the state board of regents and the 26 presidents of the community colleges and the chancellors of the 27 community colleges who serve as the chief executive officers 28 of such community colleges, the implementation of educational 29 frameworks from kindergarten through higher education that 30 include: prioritization of federal funding opportunities to 31 bridge the gap between kindergarten through grade 12 and higher 32 education in cyber and artificial intelligence; establishment 33 of statewide, mandated outcomes or standards for cyber and 34 artificial intelligence literacy for all students that are 35 -3- LSB 5715YC (2) 91 jda/jh 3/ 4

H.F. _____ based on successful outcomes or standards established in other 1 states; development and adoption of consistent statewide 2 standards and frameworks for cyber and artificial intelligence 3 education, from kindergarten through higher education; and the 4 establishment of a voluntary certification program for school 5 districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, 6 and innovation zone schools to achieve a designation or 7 certification recognizing that the school district, accredited 8 nonpublic school, charter school, or innovation zone school is 9 in compliance with established standards and best practices 10 related to cyber and artificial intelligence. 11 The bill requires the department of education to develop 12 and implement, in consultation with the department of public 13 safety, a statewide community education initiative for cyber 14 and artificial intelligence awareness, which includes the 15 creation of an accessible digital resource hub for educational 16 materials focused on high-need or at-risk demographics, and the 17 development of specific marketing campaigns and educational 18 content tailored to key demographic groups. 19 -4- LSB 5715YC (2) 91 jda/jh 4/ 4