House File 586 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 586 BY VONDRAN A BILL FOR An Act relating to the development of a policy governing 1 responses to a fire alarm activated on school grounds 2 outside of a scheduled fire drill by school districts, 3 accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and 4 innovation zone schools, and including effective date 5 provisions. 6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 7 TLSB 2481YH (1) 91 jda/jh
H.F. 586 Section 1. Section 256E.7, Code 2025, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsection: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 8A. Each charter school governing board 3 shall adopt a policy that directs how students, charter school 4 employees, and individuals who are not charter school employees 5 but who are required as part of the individuals employment 6 to regularly be present in a school building are to respond 7 when a fire alarm is activated on school grounds outside of a 8 scheduled fire drill to protect such individuals in the event 9 the fire alarm was activated due to the presence of an active 10 shooter on school grounds. 11 Sec. 2. Section 256F.4, Code 2025, is amended by adding the 12 following new subsection: 13 NEW SUBSECTION . 9. Each charter school or innovation 14 zone school shall adopt a policy that directs how students, 15 school employees, and individuals who are not school employees 16 but who are required as part of the individuals employment 17 to regularly be present in a school building are to respond 18 when a fire alarm is activated on school grounds outside of a 19 scheduled fire drill to protect such individuals in the event 20 the fire alarm was activated due to the presence of an active 21 shooter on school grounds. 22 Sec. 3. Section 280.30, subsection 1, Code 2025, is amended 23 to read as follows: 24 1. The board of directors of a school district and the 25 authorities in charge of each accredited nonpublic school 26 shall develop a high-quality emergency operations plan for the 27 district and individual school buildings in which students 28 are educated no later than June 30, 2019 . The plan shall 29 include but not be limited to responses to active shooter 30 scenarios and natural disasters. The plan shall provide that 31 any alert regarding an emergency situation that is transmitted 32 to school personnel or students by electronic means shall 33 also be transmitted to the employer of any individual who is 34 not a school employee but who is required as a part of the 35 -1- LSB 2481YH (1) 91 jda/jh 1/ 3
H.F. 586 individuals employment to regularly be present in a school 1 building during the school year. The plan shall include 2 publication of procedures for school personnel, parents, and 3 guardians to report possible threats to the safety of students 4 or school personnel on school grounds or at school activities. 5 The board and authorities shall consider any recommendations 6 of the department of education relating to the development of 7 a high-quality emergency operations plan and shall consult 8 with local emergency management coordinators and local law 9 enforcement agencies in the development of the plan. The board 10 and authorities shall review and update the plan on an annual 11 basis. The plan shall be confidential and shall not be a 12 public record subject to disclosure under chapter 22 . The plan 13 shall include all of the following: 14 a. Responses to active shooter scenarios and natural 15 disasters. 16 b. The publication of procedures for school personnel, 17 parents, and guardians to report possible threats to the safety 18 of students or school personnel on school grounds or at school 19 activities. 20 c. A policy that directs how students, school employees, and 21 individuals who are not school employees but who are required 22 as part of the individuals employment to regularly be present 23 in a school building are to respond when a fire alarm is 24 activated on school grounds outside of a scheduled fire drill 25 to protect such individuals in the event the fire alarm was 26 activated due to the presence of an active shooter on school 27 grounds. 28 Sec. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of immediate 29 importance, takes effect upon enactment. 30 EXPLANATION 31 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 32 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 33 This bill relates to the development of a policy governing 34 responses to a fire alarm activated on school grounds outside 35 -2- LSB 2481YH (1) 91 jda/jh 2/ 3
H.F. 586 of a scheduled fire drill by school districts, accredited 1 nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone 2 schools. 3 The bill requires that school districts and accredited 4 nonpublic schools include in the high-quality school building 5 emergency operations plan a policy that directs how students, 6 school employees, and individuals who are not school employees 7 but who are required as part of the individuals employment 8 to regularly be present in a school building are to respond 9 when a fire alarm is activated on school grounds outside of a 10 scheduled fire drill to protect such individuals in the event 11 the fire alarm was activated due to the presence of an active 12 shooter on school grounds. The bill also requires charter 13 schools and innovation zone schools to adopt such a policy. 14 The bill takes effect upon enactment. 15 -3- LSB 2481YH (1) 91 jda/jh 3/ 3