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House Study Bill 692 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to school security, including by modifying
2provisions related to the issuance of school bonds,
3requiring schools to conduct school safety reviews and have
4access to the statewide interoperable communications system,
5establishing the school emergency radio access grant program
6and the firearm detection software grant program within the
7department of homeland security and emergency management,
8requiring the department of public safety to convene a
9task force related to the safety and security standards of
10schools and school infrastructure, making appropriations,
11and including effective date provisions.
12BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 298.21, Code 2024, is amended to read as
2follows:
3298.21 School bonds.
41. The Subject to subsection 2, the board of directors of
5any school corporation when authorized by the voters at an
6election held on a date specified in section 39.2, subsection
74, paragraph “d”, may issue the negotiable, interest-bearing
8school bonds of the corporation for borrowing money for any or
9all of the following purposes:
101. a. To acquire sites for school purposes.
112. b. To erect, complete, or improve buildings authorized
12for school purposes.
133. c. To acquire equipment for schools, sites, and
14buildings.
152. The board of directors of a school corporation shall not
16issue negotiable, interest-bearing school bonds for borrowing
17money for purposes of constructing a new school building or
18site to be used primarily for interscholastic athletic contests
19or competitions, or renovating or improving a school building
20or site that is currently used primarily for interscholastic
21athletic contests or competitions, unless all of the attendance
22centers of the school corporation are in compliance with the
23provisions of the state building code, adopted on or after the
24effective date of this Act, related to the construction of new
25attendance centers and the renovation of existing attendance
26centers that incorporate standards designed to increase the
27safety of schools and school infrastructure.
28 Sec. 2. REQUIRED SCHOOL SAFETY REVIEW.
291. Each school district, accredited nonpublic school,
30charter school established pursuant to chapter 256E, charter
31school established pursuant to chapter 256F, and innovation
32zone school established pursuant to chapter 256F shall complete
33a comprehensive review and evaluation of the school’s ability
34to ensure the safety of students enrolled in the school and
35of school employees, including a review and evaluation of
-1-1the school’s plan for responses to active shooter scenarios
2and natural disasters and the school’s safety and security
3infrastructure. The results of the comprehensive review and
4evaluation shall be confidential and shall not be a public
5record subject to disclosure under chapter 22.
62. On or before the first day of the school calendar
7established pursuant to section 279.10, subsection 1, for the
8school year beginning July 1, 2024, each school district,
9accredited nonpublic school, charter school established
10pursuant to chapter 256E, charter school established pursuant
11to chapter 256F, and innovation zone school established
12pursuant to chapter 256F shall submit the results of
13the comprehensive review and evaluation to all local law
14enforcement agencies, including police forces of the counties
15in which school attendance centers are located, the local
16district office of the state patrol, and, if applicable, the
17police forces of the cities in which school attendance centers
18are located.
19 Sec. 3. REQUIRED ACCESS TO STATEWIDE INTEROPERABLE
20COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM — DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND
21EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT GRANT PROGRAM — APPROPRIATION.
221. On or before the first day of the school calendar
23established pursuant to section 279.10, subsection 1, for the
24school year beginning July 1, 2024, each school district,
25accredited nonpublic school, charter school established
26pursuant to chapter 256E, charter school established pursuant
27to chapter 256F, and innovation zone school established
28pursuant to chapter 256F is required to have at least one
29handheld or console radio that is capable of accessing
30the statewide interoperable communications system at each
31attendance center.
322. a. The department of homeland security and emergency
33management shall establish a school emergency radio access
34grant program to provide grants to school districts, accredited
35nonpublic schools, charter schools established pursuant to
-2-1chapter 256E, charter schools established pursuant to chapter
2256F, and innovation zone schools established pursuant to
3chapter 256F that, as of January 1, 2024, did not have at least
4one handheld or console radio that was capable of accessing
5the statewide interoperable communications system at each
6attendance center operated by the school, to help such schools
7offset the cost associated with purchasing and, if applicable,
8installing, such a handheld or console radio.
9b. The department of homeland security and emergency
10management shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to
11administer this section, including rules relating to grant
12application materials and award criteria.
13c. Moneys awarded under this section shall be used to
14supplement, not supplant, existing public funding used by
15school districts for similar purposes.
163. a. There is appropriated from the 911 emergency
17communications fund established pursuant to section 34A.7A to
18the department of homeland security and emergency management
19for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023, and ending June 30,
202024, the following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary,
21to be used for the purposes designated:
22For purposes of the school emergency radio access grant
23program established pursuant to subsection 2, if enacted:
.................................................. $243,000,000
25b. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys appropriated in
26this subsection that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the
27close of the fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain
28available for expenditure for the purposes designated until the
29close of the succeeding fiscal year.
30 Sec. 4. FIREARM DETECTION SOFTWARE PILOT PROGRAM —
31DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT —
32APPROPRIATION.
331. The department of homeland security and emergency
34management shall establish a firearm detection software grant
35program to provide grants to school districts to help such
-3-1school districts offset the cost associated with purchasing,
2installing, and operating software that meets all of the
3following requirements:
4a. Is designed to detect and alert school district employees
5and first responders if there is a visible, unholstered firearm
6on property owned by the school district.
7b. Is designated by the secretary of homeland security as
8qualified anti-terrorism technology under 6 U.S.C.§441 et seq.
9c. Is designed to integrate with a school district’s
10existing security camera infrastructure.
11d. Was developed in the United States without the use of any
12third-party data or open-source data.
132. The department of homeland security and emergency
14management shall provide at least one grant under the firearm
15detection software grant program to each of the following
16school districts:
17a. A school district with a total enrollment in the school
18year beginning July 1, 2023, that was among the forty-eight
19largest total enrollment amounts in the state.
20b. A school district with a total enrollment in the school
21year beginning July 1, 2023, that was among the next sixty-four
22largest total enrollment amounts in the state, after the school
23districts described in paragraph “a”.
24c. A school district that is not described in paragraph “a”
25or “b”.
263. The department of homeland security and emergency
27management shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to
28administer this section, including rules relating to grant
29application materials and award criteria.
304. Moneys awarded under this section shall be used to
31supplement, not supplant, existing public funding used by
32school districts for similar purposes.
335. a. Each school district that receives a grant pursuant
34to this section shall, in coordination with the department of
35homeland security and emergency management and the department
-4-1of public safety’s school safety bureau, evaluate the
2effectiveness of the software purchased with moneys awarded
3under this section in protecting students, school personnel,
4and the public.
5b. Each school district that receives a grant pursuant
6to this section shall submit an initial evaluation of the
7effectiveness of the software purchased with moneys awarded
8under this section to the general assembly on or before
9December 15, 2024.
10c. Each school district that receives a grant pursuant
11to this section shall submit a final evaluation of the
12effectiveness of the software purchased with moneys awarded
13under this section to the general assembly on or before
14December 15, 2025.
156. a. There is appropriated from the general fund of the
16state to the department of homeland security and emergency
17management for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023, and
18ending June 30, 2024, the following amount, or so much thereof
19as is necessary, to be used for the purposes designated:
20For purposes of the firearm detection software grant program
21established pursuant to subsection 1, if enacted:
.................................................. $22350,000
23b. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys appropriated in
24this subsection that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the
25close of the fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain
26available for expenditure for the purposes designated until the
27close of the succeeding fiscal year.
28 Sec. 5. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, DEPARTMENT OF
29EDUCATION, AND DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY
30MANAGEMENT — SCHOOL SAFETY AND SECURITY INFRASTRUCTURE
31STANDARDS — TASK FORCE.
321. The department of public safety, in collaboration with
33the department of education and the department of homeland
34security and emergency management, shall convene and provide
35administrative support to a task force that shall study
-5-1and make recommendations related to the safety and security
2standards of schools and school infrastructure, including
3safety and security standards related to doors, windows,
4cameras, and locks.
52. Any expenses incurred by a member of the task force
6shall be the responsibility of the individual member or the
7respective entity represented by the member.
83. The task force shall submit its findings and
9recommendations to the general assembly on or before December
1031, 2024. The findings and recommendations shall include a
11proposal for modifications to the state building code that
12are applicable to the construction of new attendance centers
13and the renovation of existing attendance centers and that
14incorporate standards designed to increase the safety of
15schools and school infrastructure.
16 Sec. 6. EMERGENCY RULES. The department of homeland
17security and emergency management may adopt emergency
18rules under section 17A.4, subsection 3, and section 17A.5,
19subsection 2, paragraph “b”, to implement the provisions of
20this Act establishing the school emergency radio access grant
21program and the firearm detection software grant program, and
22the rules shall be effective immediately upon filing unless
23a later date is specified in the rules. Any rules adopted
24in accordance with this section shall also be published as a
25notice of intended action as provided in section 17A.4.
26 Sec. 7. STATE MANDATE FUNDING SPECIFIED. In accordance
27with section 25B.2, subsection 3, the state cost of requiring
28compliance with any state mandate included in this Act shall
29be paid by a school district from state school foundation aid
30received by the school district under section 257.16. This
31specification of the payment of the state cost shall be deemed
32to meet all of the state funding-related requirements of
33section 25B.2, subsection 3, and no additional state funding
34shall be necessary for the full implementation of this Act
35by and enforcement of this Act against all affected school
-6-1districts.
2 Sec. 8. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of immediate
3importance, takes effect upon enactment.
4EXPLANATION
5The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
6the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
7This bill relates to school security, including by modifying
8provisions related to the issuance of school bonds, requiring
9schools to conduct school safety reviews and have access to the
10statewide interoperable communications system, establishing the
11school emergency radio access grant program and the firearm
12detection software grant program within the department of
13homeland security and emergency management, and requiring the
14department of public safety to convene a task force related
15to the safety and security standards of schools and school
16infrastructure.
17The bill requires each school district, accredited nonpublic
18school, charter school, and innovation zone school to complete
19a comprehensive review and evaluation of the school’s ability
20to ensure the safety of students enrolled in the school and of
21school employees. The bill provides that the results of the
22comprehensive review and evaluation shall be confidential and
23shall not be a public record subject to disclosure. The bill
24establishes that, on or before the first day of the school
25calendar for the school year beginning July 1, 2024, each
26school is required to submit the results of the comprehensive
27review and evaluation to all local law enforcement agencies.
28The bill requires that, on or before the first day of
29the school calendar for the school year beginning July 1,
302024, each school district, accredited nonpublic school,
31charter school, and innovation zone school is required to have
32at least one handheld or console radio that is capable of
33accessing the statewide interoperable communications system
34at each attendance center operated by the school. The bill
35provides that the department of homeland security and emergency
-7-1management shall establish a school emergency radio access
2grant program to provide grants to schools that, as of January
31, 2024, did not have at least one handheld or console radio
4that was capable of accessing such system at each attendance
5center operated by the school, to help such schools offset the
6cost associated with purchasing and installing such radio.
7The bill authorizes the department to adopt emergency rules
8to implement the program. The bill appropriates $3 million
9from the 911 emergency communications fund for FY 2023-2024
10for purposes of the grant program. The bill provides that if
11these moneys remain unencumbered or unobligated at the close of
12the fiscal year, the moneys shall not revert but shall remain
13available for expenditure for the purposes designated until
14the close of the succeeding fiscal year. The bill establishes
15that moneys awarded under this provision shall be used to
16supplement, not supplant, existing public funding used by
17school districts for similar purposes.
18The bill requires the department of homeland security
19and emergency management to establish a firearm detection
20software grant program to provide grants to school districts
21to help such school districts offset the cost associated
22with purchasing, installing, and operating software that is
23designed to detect and alert school district employees and
24first responders if there is a visible, unholstered firearm on
25property owned by the school district, is designated by the
26secretary of homeland security as qualified anti-terrorism
27technology, is designed to integrate with a school district’s
28existing security camera infrastructure, and was developed in
29the United States without the use of any third-party data or
30open-source data. The bill authorizes the department to adopt
31emergency rules to implement the program. The bill requires
32the department to award at least one grant under the program to
33certain specified schools. The bill appropriates $350,000 from
34the general fund of the state for FY 2023-2024 for purposes
35of the grant program. The bill provides that if these moneys
-8-1remain unencumbered or unobligated at the close of the fiscal
2year, the moneys shall not revert but shall remain available
3for expenditure for the purposes designated until the close of
4the succeeding fiscal year. The bill establishes that moneys
5awarded under this provision shall be used to supplement, not
6supplant, existing public funding used by school districts for
7similar purposes. The bill requires school districts that
8receive a grant to, in coordination with the department of
9homeland security and emergency management and the department
10of public safety’s school safety bureau, evaluate the
11effectiveness of the software purchased with moneys awarded
12under this provision in protecting students, school personnel,
13and the public and submit reports to the general assembly.
14The bill requires the department of public safety, in
15collaboration with the department of education and the
16department of homeland security and emergency management, to
17convene a task force to study and make recommendations related
18to the safety and security standards of schools and school
19infrastructure. The bill requires the task force to submit
20its findings and recommendations to the general assembly on or
21before December 31, 2024. The findings and recommendations are
22required to include a proposal for modifications to the state
23building code that are applicable to the construction of new
24attendance centers and the renovation of existing attendance
25centers and that incorporate standards designed to increase
26the safety of schools and school infrastructure. The bill
27prohibits the board of directors of a school corporation from
28issuing negotiable, interest-bearing school bonds for borrowing
29money for purposes of constructing a new school building or
30site to be used primarily for interscholastic athletic contests
31or competitions, or renovating or improving a building or site
32that is currently used for such purposes, unless all of the
33attendance centers of the school corporation are in compliance
34with these modified provisions of the state building code, if
35adopted.
-9- 1The bill may include a state mandate as defined in Code
2section 25B.3. The bill requires that the state cost of
3any state mandate included in the bill be paid by a school
4district from state school foundation aid received by the
5school district under Code section 257.16. The specification
6is deemed to constitute state compliance with any state mandate
7funding-related requirements of Code section 25B.2. The
8inclusion of this specification is intended to reinstate the
9requirement of political subdivisions to comply with any state
10mandates included in the bill.
11The bill takes effect upon enactment.
-10-jda/jh
2provisions related to the issuance of school bonds,
3requiring schools to conduct school safety reviews and have
4access to the statewide interoperable communications system,
5establishing the school emergency radio access grant program
6and the firearm detection software grant program within the
7department of homeland security and emergency management,
8requiring the department of public safety to convene a
9task force related to the safety and security standards of
10schools and school infrastructure, making appropriations,
11and including effective date provisions.
12BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 298.21, Code 2024, is amended to read as
2follows:
3298.21 School bonds.
41. The Subject to subsection 2, the board of directors of
5any school corporation when authorized by the voters at an
6election held on a date specified in section 39.2, subsection
74, paragraph “d”, may issue the negotiable, interest-bearing
8school bonds of the corporation for borrowing money for any or
9all of the following purposes:
101. a. To acquire sites for school purposes.
112. b. To erect, complete, or improve buildings authorized
12for school purposes.
133. c. To acquire equipment for schools, sites, and
14buildings.
152. The board of directors of a school corporation shall not
16issue negotiable, interest-bearing school bonds for borrowing
17money for purposes of constructing a new school building or
18site to be used primarily for interscholastic athletic contests
19or competitions, or renovating or improving a school building
20or site that is currently used primarily for interscholastic
21athletic contests or competitions, unless all of the attendance
22centers of the school corporation are in compliance with the
23provisions of the state building code, adopted on or after the
24effective date of this Act, related to the construction of new
25attendance centers and the renovation of existing attendance
26centers that incorporate standards designed to increase the
27safety of schools and school infrastructure.
28 Sec. 2. REQUIRED SCHOOL SAFETY REVIEW.
291. Each school district, accredited nonpublic school,
30charter school established pursuant to chapter 256E, charter
31school established pursuant to chapter 256F, and innovation
32zone school established pursuant to chapter 256F shall complete
33a comprehensive review and evaluation of the school’s ability
34to ensure the safety of students enrolled in the school and
35of school employees, including a review and evaluation of
-1-1the school’s plan for responses to active shooter scenarios
2and natural disasters and the school’s safety and security
3infrastructure. The results of the comprehensive review and
4evaluation shall be confidential and shall not be a public
5record subject to disclosure under chapter 22.
62. On or before the first day of the school calendar
7established pursuant to section 279.10, subsection 1, for the
8school year beginning July 1, 2024, each school district,
9accredited nonpublic school, charter school established
10pursuant to chapter 256E, charter school established pursuant
11to chapter 256F, and innovation zone school established
12pursuant to chapter 256F shall submit the results of
13the comprehensive review and evaluation to all local law
14enforcement agencies, including police forces of the counties
15in which school attendance centers are located, the local
16district office of the state patrol, and, if applicable, the
17police forces of the cities in which school attendance centers
18are located.
19 Sec. 3. REQUIRED ACCESS TO STATEWIDE INTEROPERABLE
20COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM — DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND
21EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT GRANT PROGRAM — APPROPRIATION.
221. On or before the first day of the school calendar
23established pursuant to section 279.10, subsection 1, for the
24school year beginning July 1, 2024, each school district,
25accredited nonpublic school, charter school established
26pursuant to chapter 256E, charter school established pursuant
27to chapter 256F, and innovation zone school established
28pursuant to chapter 256F is required to have at least one
29handheld or console radio that is capable of accessing
30the statewide interoperable communications system at each
31attendance center.
322. a. The department of homeland security and emergency
33management shall establish a school emergency radio access
34grant program to provide grants to school districts, accredited
35nonpublic schools, charter schools established pursuant to
-2-1chapter 256E, charter schools established pursuant to chapter
2256F, and innovation zone schools established pursuant to
3chapter 256F that, as of January 1, 2024, did not have at least
4one handheld or console radio that was capable of accessing
5the statewide interoperable communications system at each
6attendance center operated by the school, to help such schools
7offset the cost associated with purchasing and, if applicable,
8installing, such a handheld or console radio.
9b. The department of homeland security and emergency
10management shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to
11administer this section, including rules relating to grant
12application materials and award criteria.
13c. Moneys awarded under this section shall be used to
14supplement, not supplant, existing public funding used by
15school districts for similar purposes.
163. a. There is appropriated from the 911 emergency
17communications fund established pursuant to section 34A.7A to
18the department of homeland security and emergency management
19for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023, and ending June 30,
202024, the following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary,
21to be used for the purposes designated:
22For purposes of the school emergency radio access grant
23program established pursuant to subsection 2, if enacted:
.................................................. $243,000,000
25b. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys appropriated in
26this subsection that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the
27close of the fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain
28available for expenditure for the purposes designated until the
29close of the succeeding fiscal year.
30 Sec. 4. FIREARM DETECTION SOFTWARE PILOT PROGRAM —
31DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT —
32APPROPRIATION.
331. The department of homeland security and emergency
34management shall establish a firearm detection software grant
35program to provide grants to school districts to help such
-3-1school districts offset the cost associated with purchasing,
2installing, and operating software that meets all of the
3following requirements:
4a. Is designed to detect and alert school district employees
5and first responders if there is a visible, unholstered firearm
6on property owned by the school district.
7b. Is designated by the secretary of homeland security as
8qualified anti-terrorism technology under 6 U.S.C.§441 et seq.
9c. Is designed to integrate with a school district’s
10existing security camera infrastructure.
11d. Was developed in the United States without the use of any
12third-party data or open-source data.
132. The department of homeland security and emergency
14management shall provide at least one grant under the firearm
15detection software grant program to each of the following
16school districts:
17a. A school district with a total enrollment in the school
18year beginning July 1, 2023, that was among the forty-eight
19largest total enrollment amounts in the state.
20b. A school district with a total enrollment in the school
21year beginning July 1, 2023, that was among the next sixty-four
22largest total enrollment amounts in the state, after the school
23districts described in paragraph “a”.
24c. A school district that is not described in paragraph “a”
25or “b”.
263. The department of homeland security and emergency
27management shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to
28administer this section, including rules relating to grant
29application materials and award criteria.
304. Moneys awarded under this section shall be used to
31supplement, not supplant, existing public funding used by
32school districts for similar purposes.
335. a. Each school district that receives a grant pursuant
34to this section shall, in coordination with the department of
35homeland security and emergency management and the department
-4-1of public safety’s school safety bureau, evaluate the
2effectiveness of the software purchased with moneys awarded
3under this section in protecting students, school personnel,
4and the public.
5b. Each school district that receives a grant pursuant
6to this section shall submit an initial evaluation of the
7effectiveness of the software purchased with moneys awarded
8under this section to the general assembly on or before
9December 15, 2024.
10c. Each school district that receives a grant pursuant
11to this section shall submit a final evaluation of the
12effectiveness of the software purchased with moneys awarded
13under this section to the general assembly on or before
14December 15, 2025.
156. a. There is appropriated from the general fund of the
16state to the department of homeland security and emergency
17management for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023, and
18ending June 30, 2024, the following amount, or so much thereof
19as is necessary, to be used for the purposes designated:
20For purposes of the firearm detection software grant program
21established pursuant to subsection 1, if enacted:
.................................................. $22350,000
23b. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys appropriated in
24this subsection that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the
25close of the fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain
26available for expenditure for the purposes designated until the
27close of the succeeding fiscal year.
28 Sec. 5. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, DEPARTMENT OF
29EDUCATION, AND DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY
30MANAGEMENT — SCHOOL SAFETY AND SECURITY INFRASTRUCTURE
31STANDARDS — TASK FORCE.
321. The department of public safety, in collaboration with
33the department of education and the department of homeland
34security and emergency management, shall convene and provide
35administrative support to a task force that shall study
-5-1and make recommendations related to the safety and security
2standards of schools and school infrastructure, including
3safety and security standards related to doors, windows,
4cameras, and locks.
52. Any expenses incurred by a member of the task force
6shall be the responsibility of the individual member or the
7respective entity represented by the member.
83. The task force shall submit its findings and
9recommendations to the general assembly on or before December
1031, 2024. The findings and recommendations shall include a
11proposal for modifications to the state building code that
12are applicable to the construction of new attendance centers
13and the renovation of existing attendance centers and that
14incorporate standards designed to increase the safety of
15schools and school infrastructure.
16 Sec. 6. EMERGENCY RULES. The department of homeland
17security and emergency management may adopt emergency
18rules under section 17A.4, subsection 3, and section 17A.5,
19subsection 2, paragraph “b”, to implement the provisions of
20this Act establishing the school emergency radio access grant
21program and the firearm detection software grant program, and
22the rules shall be effective immediately upon filing unless
23a later date is specified in the rules. Any rules adopted
24in accordance with this section shall also be published as a
25notice of intended action as provided in section 17A.4.
26 Sec. 7. STATE MANDATE FUNDING SPECIFIED. In accordance
27with section 25B.2, subsection 3, the state cost of requiring
28compliance with any state mandate included in this Act shall
29be paid by a school district from state school foundation aid
30received by the school district under section 257.16. This
31specification of the payment of the state cost shall be deemed
32to meet all of the state funding-related requirements of
33section 25B.2, subsection 3, and no additional state funding
34shall be necessary for the full implementation of this Act
35by and enforcement of this Act against all affected school
-6-1districts.
2 Sec. 8. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of immediate
3importance, takes effect upon enactment.
4EXPLANATION
5The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
6the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
7This bill relates to school security, including by modifying
8provisions related to the issuance of school bonds, requiring
9schools to conduct school safety reviews and have access to the
10statewide interoperable communications system, establishing the
11school emergency radio access grant program and the firearm
12detection software grant program within the department of
13homeland security and emergency management, and requiring the
14department of public safety to convene a task force related
15to the safety and security standards of schools and school
16infrastructure.
17The bill requires each school district, accredited nonpublic
18school, charter school, and innovation zone school to complete
19a comprehensive review and evaluation of the school’s ability
20to ensure the safety of students enrolled in the school and of
21school employees. The bill provides that the results of the
22comprehensive review and evaluation shall be confidential and
23shall not be a public record subject to disclosure. The bill
24establishes that, on or before the first day of the school
25calendar for the school year beginning July 1, 2024, each
26school is required to submit the results of the comprehensive
27review and evaluation to all local law enforcement agencies.
28The bill requires that, on or before the first day of
29the school calendar for the school year beginning July 1,
302024, each school district, accredited nonpublic school,
31charter school, and innovation zone school is required to have
32at least one handheld or console radio that is capable of
33accessing the statewide interoperable communications system
34at each attendance center operated by the school. The bill
35provides that the department of homeland security and emergency
-7-1management shall establish a school emergency radio access
2grant program to provide grants to schools that, as of January
31, 2024, did not have at least one handheld or console radio
4that was capable of accessing such system at each attendance
5center operated by the school, to help such schools offset the
6cost associated with purchasing and installing such radio.
7The bill authorizes the department to adopt emergency rules
8to implement the program. The bill appropriates $3 million
9from the 911 emergency communications fund for FY 2023-2024
10for purposes of the grant program. The bill provides that if
11these moneys remain unencumbered or unobligated at the close of
12the fiscal year, the moneys shall not revert but shall remain
13available for expenditure for the purposes designated until
14the close of the succeeding fiscal year. The bill establishes
15that moneys awarded under this provision shall be used to
16supplement, not supplant, existing public funding used by
17school districts for similar purposes.
18The bill requires the department of homeland security
19and emergency management to establish a firearm detection
20software grant program to provide grants to school districts
21to help such school districts offset the cost associated
22with purchasing, installing, and operating software that is
23designed to detect and alert school district employees and
24first responders if there is a visible, unholstered firearm on
25property owned by the school district, is designated by the
26secretary of homeland security as qualified anti-terrorism
27technology, is designed to integrate with a school district’s
28existing security camera infrastructure, and was developed in
29the United States without the use of any third-party data or
30open-source data. The bill authorizes the department to adopt
31emergency rules to implement the program. The bill requires
32the department to award at least one grant under the program to
33certain specified schools. The bill appropriates $350,000 from
34the general fund of the state for FY 2023-2024 for purposes
35of the grant program. The bill provides that if these moneys
-8-1remain unencumbered or unobligated at the close of the fiscal
2year, the moneys shall not revert but shall remain available
3for expenditure for the purposes designated until the close of
4the succeeding fiscal year. The bill establishes that moneys
5awarded under this provision shall be used to supplement, not
6supplant, existing public funding used by school districts for
7similar purposes. The bill requires school districts that
8receive a grant to, in coordination with the department of
9homeland security and emergency management and the department
10of public safety’s school safety bureau, evaluate the
11effectiveness of the software purchased with moneys awarded
12under this provision in protecting students, school personnel,
13and the public and submit reports to the general assembly.
14The bill requires the department of public safety, in
15collaboration with the department of education and the
16department of homeland security and emergency management, to
17convene a task force to study and make recommendations related
18to the safety and security standards of schools and school
19infrastructure. The bill requires the task force to submit
20its findings and recommendations to the general assembly on or
21before December 31, 2024. The findings and recommendations are
22required to include a proposal for modifications to the state
23building code that are applicable to the construction of new
24attendance centers and the renovation of existing attendance
25centers and that incorporate standards designed to increase
26the safety of schools and school infrastructure. The bill
27prohibits the board of directors of a school corporation from
28issuing negotiable, interest-bearing school bonds for borrowing
29money for purposes of constructing a new school building or
30site to be used primarily for interscholastic athletic contests
31or competitions, or renovating or improving a building or site
32that is currently used for such purposes, unless all of the
33attendance centers of the school corporation are in compliance
34with these modified provisions of the state building code, if
35adopted.
-9- 1The bill may include a state mandate as defined in Code
2section 25B.3. The bill requires that the state cost of
3any state mandate included in the bill be paid by a school
4district from state school foundation aid received by the
5school district under Code section 257.16. The specification
6is deemed to constitute state compliance with any state mandate
7funding-related requirements of Code section 25B.2. The
8inclusion of this specification is intended to reinstate the
9requirement of political subdivisions to comply with any state
10mandates included in the bill.
11The bill takes effect upon enactment.
-10-jda/jh