House File 543 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 543 BY YOUNG A BILL FOR An Act providing for access to feminine hygiene products in 1 public school restrooms and making an appropriation. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 2761YH (1) 91 jda/jh
H.F. 543 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 279.87 Access to feminine hygiene 1 products restrooms appropriation. 2 1. The board of directors of a school district shall ensure 3 that feminine hygiene products can be accessed by students 4 without cost in at least half of the restrooms in school 5 buildings in the district where students in grades six through 6 twelve are educated and that the supply of feminine hygiene 7 products is refilled regularly. For purposes of this section, 8 feminine hygiene products means sanitary napkins, tampons, or 9 other similar items used for feminine hygiene. 10 2. There is appropriated annually from the general fund 11 of the state to the department of education for the period 12 beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2028, an amount 13 necessary to fund the full cost of compliance with this 14 section by school districts. The department shall establish 15 processes for school districts to submit the documented 16 cost of compliance with this section to the department on a 17 quarter, trimester, or semester basis and for the department 18 to reimburse school districts for such costs. The department 19 may adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to administer this 20 subsection. This subsection is repealed July 1, 2028. 21 Sec. 2. STATE MANDATE FUNDING SPECIFIED. In accordance 22 with section 25B.2, subsection 3, the state cost of requiring 23 compliance with any state mandate included in this Act shall be 24 paid by a school district from funds appropriated by section 25 279.84, subsection 2, as enacted by this Act, and, for school 26 years beginning on or after July 1, 2028, from state school 27 foundation aid received by the school district under section 28 257.16. This specification of the payment of the state cost 29 shall be deemed to meet all of the state funding-related 30 requirements of section 25B.2, subsection 3, and no additional 31 state funding shall be necessary for the full implementation of 32 this Act by and enforcement of this Act against all affected 33 school districts. 34 EXPLANATION 35 -1- LSB 2761YH (1) 91 jda/jh 1/ 2
H.F. 543 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 1 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 2 This bill requires school boards to ensure that feminine 3 hygiene products can be accessed by students without cost in at 4 least half of the restrooms in school buildings in the district 5 where students in grades 6 through 12 are educated and that the 6 supply of feminine hygiene products is refilled regularly. The 7 bill defines feminine hygiene products as sanitary napkins, 8 tampons, or other similar items used for feminine hygiene. 9 The bill appropriates an amount necessary to fund the full 10 cost of compliance with the bill by school districts from the 11 general fund of the state to the department of education for 12 the period beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2028. 13 The bill directs the department to establish processes for 14 school districts to submit the documented cost of compliance 15 to the department and for the department to reimburse school 16 districts for such costs. 17 The bill may include a state mandate as defined in Code 18 section 25B.3. The bill requires that the state cost of 19 any state mandate included in the bill be paid by a school 20 district from funds appropriated by the bill, and, for school 21 years beginning on or after July 1, 2028, from state school 22 foundation aid received by the school district under Code 23 section 257.16. The specification is deemed to constitute 24 state compliance with any state mandate funding-related 25 requirements of Code section 25B.2. The inclusion of this 26 specification is intended to reinstate the requirement of 27 political subdivisions to comply with any state mandates 28 included in the bill. 29 -2- LSB 2761YH (1) 91 jda/jh 2/ 2