Senate Study Bill 3007 - Introduced SENATE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON WORKFORCE BILL BY CHAIRPERSON DICKEY) A BILL FOR An Act authorizing schools to offer an elective junior fire 1 fighter program to students enrolled in grades eleven and 2 twelve. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 5683XC (3) 91 jda/jh

S.F. _____ Section 1. Section 100B.7, subsection 2, Code 2026, is 1 amended by adding the following new paragraph: 2 NEW PARAGRAPH . r. (1) Allow a student who has successfully 3 completed the elective junior fire fighter program described 4 in section 280.37, submitted all necessary certification 5 registration and local verification forms, and paid all 6 applicable registration fees to sit for certification testing 7 for firefighter I certification. 8 (2) If a student attains passing scores on all examinations 9 necessary for firefighter I certification prior to the date the 10 student becomes eighteen years of age, then the administrator 11 shall not issue firefighter I certification to the student 12 until the student becomes eighteen years of age. 13 Sec. 2. Section 256E.7, subsection 2, Code 2026, is amended 14 by adding the following new paragraph: 15 NEW PARAGRAPH . 0w. Be subject to and comply with the 16 requirements of section 280.37 relating to offering an elective 17 junior fire fighter program to students enrolled in grades 18 eleven and twelve in the same manner as a school district. 19 Sec. 3. Section 256F.4, subsection 2, Code 2026, is amended 20 by adding the following new paragraph: 21 NEW PARAGRAPH . v. Be subject to and comply with the 22 requirements of section 280.37 relating to offering an elective 23 junior fire fighter program to students enrolled in grades 24 eleven and twelve in the same manner as a school district. 25 Sec. 4. NEW SECTION . 280.37 Junior fire fighter program. 26 1. The board of directors of each school district and the 27 authorities in charge of each accredited nonpublic school may 28 offer to students enrolled in grades eleven and twelve an 29 elective junior fire fighter program, either by establishing 30 the program and using the curriculum of a national organization 31 that provides a similar program or by partnering with a local 32 fire department, that meets all of the following requirements: 33 a. Is designed to prepare such students to sit for 34 certification testing from the fire service training bureau for 35 -1- LSB 5683XC (3) 91 jda/jh 1/ 3

S.F. _____ firefighter I certification. 1 b. Allows students to learn more about the work performed by 2 fire fighters and other emergency services providers in a safe 3 and controlled environment. 4 c. Provides students with valuable life skills, including 5 teamwork, leadership, responsibility, and commitment. 6 d. Fosters relationships between students and fire fighters 7 and other emergency services providers. 8 e. Promotes student participation in the fire services and 9 other emergency services fields after graduation. 10 2. If the board of directors of a school district or the 11 authorities in charge of an accredited nonpublic school offer 12 the elective junior fire fighter program, then the board 13 of directors of the school district or the authorities in 14 charge of the accredited nonpublic school shall coordinate 15 with the fire service training bureau and a local fire 16 department to ensure students are provided with the appropriate 17 materials and skills training to successfully complete all 18 components necessary for firefighter I certification, including 19 the written certification examination and the practical 20 certification examination. 21 3. The board of directors of each school district and the 22 authorities in charge of each accredited nonpublic school 23 may offer the elective junior fire fighter program as an 24 extracurricular activity or as part of the career and technical 25 education curriculum under section 256.11, subsection 5, 26 paragraph “h” , subparagraph (1), subparagraph division (e). 27 4. To participate in the elective junior fire fighter 28 program, the student must submit to the school district or 29 accredited nonpublic school a waiver of liability on a form 30 provided by the school district or accredited nonpublic school 31 that has been executed by the student’s parent or guardian, if 32 the student is a minor, or by the student, if the student is not 33 a minor or is an emancipated minor. 34 EXPLANATION 35 -2- LSB 5683XC (3) 91 jda/jh 2/ 3

S.F. _____ 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, accredited nonpublic 3 schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to offer 4 to students enrolled in grades 11 and 12 an elective junior 5 fire fighter program, either by establishing the program and 6 using the curriculum of a national organization that provides a 7 similar program or by partnering with a local fire department, 8 that satisfies requirements established in the bill. If a 9 school offers the junior fire fighter program, the school 10 is required to coordinate with the fire service training 11 bureau and a local fire department to ensure students are 12 provided with the appropriate materials and skills training to 13 successfully complete all components necessary for firefighter 14 I certification. The junior fire fighter program may be 15 offered as an extracurricular activity or as part of the career 16 and technical education curriculum. The bill requires a 17 student to submit an executed waiver of liability to the school 18 prior to participation in the junior fire fighter program. 19 The bill requires the administrator of the fire service 20 training bureau to allow a student who has successfully 21 completed the junior fire fighter program, submitted all 22 necessary certification registration and local verification 23 forms, and paid all applicable registration fees to sit for 24 certification testing for firefighter I certification. If a 25 student attains passing scores on all examinations necessary 26 for firefighter I certification prior to the date the student 27 turns 18 years of age, then the administrator is prohibited 28 from issuing firefighter I certification to the student until 29 the student turns 18 years of age. 30 -3- LSB 5683XC (3) 91 jda/jh 3/ 3