House File 2162 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to persons authorized to carry firearms on
2school grounds, including in a school building.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1   Section 1.  Section 724.4B, subsection 2, Code 2020, is
2amended by adding the following new paragraph:
3   NEW PARAGRAPH.  d.  A person designated by a governing school
4body pursuant to subsection 3.
5   Sec. 2.  Section 724.4B, Code 2020, is amended by adding the
6following new subsection:
7   NEW SUBSECTION.  3.  a.  As used in this subsection:
   8(1)  “Governing school body” means the board of directors
9of each public school district or the authorities in charge of
10each nonpublic school.
   11(2)  “School grounds” includes a school building.
   12b.  A governing school body is authorized to designate
13one person per one hundred students, or a fraction of one
14hundred if there are more than one hundred students in a school
15building, to be armed with a firearm to assist in providing
16safety to students and personnel in that school building. The
17number of students shall be the number enrolled at the end of
18the previous school year. Such person shall be recommended by
19the county sheriff for the county in which the greatest number
20of students of the school district or nonpublic school reside.
21In addition to firearm safety training required to obtain a
22permit to carry weapons, the person shall have completed school
23safety training approved by the county sheriff.
   24c.  The county sheriff shall approve the type of firearm
25a designated person shall be allowed to carry on the school
26grounds.
   27d.  The designated person shall have immunity from
28prosecution or damage claims when the person acts within the
29scope of the person’s authority granted by a governing school
30body to protect students and school personnel in the school
31building in which the person is authorized to be armed.
   32e.  A person’s designation pursuant to this subsection shall
33be valid for the school year in which the person is designated
34unless the governing school body votes to remove the person’s
35designation prior to the end of the school year. The governing
-1-1school body may designate the person for additional school
2years without requiring additional school safety training.
3However, the county sheriff may recommend and the governing
4school body may approve additional training.
5EXPLANATION
6The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
7the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   8This bill relates to persons authorized to carry firearms on
9school grounds, including in a school building.
   10Current law generally prohibits a person from going armed
11with, carrying, or transporting a firearm of any kind on school
12grounds. The bill authorizes a governing school body, as
13defined in the bill, to designate 1 person per 100 students,
14or a fraction of 100 if there are more than 100 students in
15a school building, to be armed with a firearm to assist in
16providing safety to students and personnel in that school
17building. The person shall be recommended by the county
18sheriff for the county in which a majority of the students
19in the school district or nonpublic school reside and the
20individual shall have completed school safety training approved
21by the county sheriff. The county sheriff shall approve the
22type of firearm the person shall be allowed to carry on the
23school grounds. The bill provides immunity from prosecution
24or damage claims to the person if the person acts within the
25scope of the person’s authority granted by a governing school
26body to protect students or personnel in the school building
27in which the person is authorized to be armed. The designated
28person shall serve for the school year in which the person is
29designated unless the governing school body votes to remove the
30person’s designation prior to the end of the school year. The
31governing school body may designate the person to serve for
32additional years without requiring additional training, but the
33county sheriff may recommend and the governing school body may
34approve additional training.
-2-
js/rh