SF 6 (LSB 1793XS (2) 91)

SENATE FILE 6

BY  GREEN

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the provision of information relating to immunization exemptions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 139A.8, subsection 4, Code 2025, is amended by adding the following new paragraph:
   NEW PARAGRAPH.  c.  Information regarding exemptions and the requirements for an exemption under this subsection shall be included in any public communication following the recommendation of an immunization by the department pursuant to subsection 2, shall be included in any communication regarding immunizations to a parent or legal guardian from a school, and shall be published on the internet sites of and included in registration documentation for all elementary schools, secondary schools, and licensed child care centers.
    Sec. 2.  NEW SECTION.  237A.3C  Immunization information.
   Each child care center, child care facility, child care home, and child development home shall include information regarding the exemptions and requirements for an exemption described in section 139A.8, subsection 4, in any communication to the parent or guardian of a child that is related to the immunizations required under section 139A.8.
    Sec. 3.  Section 256.7, Code 2025, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  15.  Adopt rules under chapter 17A that require school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to include information regarding the exemptions and requirements for an exemption described in section 139A.8, subsection 4, in any communication to the parent or guardian of a student that is related to the immunizations required under section 139A.8.
    Sec. 4.  Section 256.183, subsection 1, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   “Accredited private institution” means an institution of higher learning located in Iowa which is operated privately and not controlled or administered by any state agency or any subdivision of the state and which meets the criteria in paragraphs “a” and “b” and all of the criteria in paragraphs “d” through “j” “k”, except that institutions defined in paragraph “c” of this subsection are exempt from the requirements of paragraphs “a” and “b”:
    Sec. 5.  Section 256.183, subsection 1, Code 2025, is amended by adding the following new paragraph:
   NEW PARAGRAPH.  k.  Adopts a policy that requires the institution to include in any communication to students that is related to immunization requirements information regarding exemptions to such requirements.
    Sec. 6.  Section 256.183, subsection 3, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   3.  “Eligible institution” means an institution of higher learning located in Iowa which is operated privately and not controlled or administered by any state agency or any subdivision of the state, which is not exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and which meets all of the criteria in subsection 1, paragraphs “d” through “j” “k”, and is a school of barbering and cosmetology arts and sciences licensed under chapter 157 and is accredited by a national accrediting agency recognized by the United States department of education. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2017, such a school of barbering and cosmetology arts and sciences shall provide a matching aggregate amount of institutional financial aid equal to at least seventy-five percent of the amount received by the institution’s students for Iowa tuition grant assistance under section 256.191. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2018, the school of barbering and cosmetology arts and sciences shall provide a matching aggregate amount of institutional financial aid equal to at least eighty-five percent of the amount received in that fiscal year. Commencing with the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2019, and each succeeding fiscal year, the matching aggregate amount of institutional financial aid shall be at least equal to the match provided by eligible institutions under section 261.9, subsection 3, paragraph “a”, Code 2023.
    Sec. 7.  Section 260C.14, Code 2025, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  26.  Adopt rules that require the community college to include in any communication to students that is related to immunization requirements information regarding exemptions to such requirements.
    Sec. 8.  Section 262.9, Code 2025, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  39.  Direct the institutions of higher education under its control to adopt a policy that requires the institution to include in any communication to students that is related to immunization requirements information regarding exemptions to such requirements.
    Sec. 9.  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 the provision of information relating to immunization exemptions.
   The bill amends Code section 139A.8 (immunization of children) to require that information regarding exemptions and the requirements for an exemption shall be included in any public communication following the recommendation of an immunization by the department of health and human services, shall be included in any communication regarding immunizations to a parent or legal guardian from a school, and shall be published on the internet sites of and included in registration documentation for all elementary schools, secondary schools, and licensed child care centers. The bill also requires child care centers, child care facilities, child care homes, and child development homes, as such terms are defined in Code chapter 237A (child care facilities), to include such information in communications to parents or guardians.
   The bill requires the state board of education to adopt rules requiring school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to include information regarding the exemptions and requirements for an exemption in any communication to the parent or guardian of a student that is related to required immunizations.
   The bill requires community colleges and institutions of higher learning under the control of the state board of regents to adopt a policy that requires the community college or institution to include in any communication to students that is related to immunization requirements information regarding exemptions to such requirements. In addition, the bill requires accredited private institutions and eligible institutions, as each is defined in Code section 256.183 (Iowa tuition grants program), as a condition of participation in the Iowa tuition grants program, to adopt a similar policy.
   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.