Senate File 175 - Reprinted SENATE FILE 175 BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION (SUCCESSOR TO SSB 1028) (As Amended and Passed by the Senate February 18, 2025 ) A BILL FOR An Act incorporating provisions related to pregnancy and fetal 1 development into the human growth and development and health 2 curricula provided by school districts, accredited nonpublic 3 schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to 4 students enrolled in grades four through twelve. 5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 6 SF 175 (3) 91 jda/jh/mb
S.F. 175 Section 1. Section 256.11, subsections 3 and 4, Code 2025, 1 are amended to read as follows: 2 3. a. The following areas shall be taught in grades 3 one through six: English-language arts, social studies, 4 mathematics, science, health, physical education, traffic 5 safety, music, visual art, and, subject to section 279.80, 6 age-appropriate and research-based human growth and 7 development. 8 b. Computer science instruction incorporating the standards 9 established under section 256.7, subsection 26, paragraph a , 10 subparagraph (4), shall be offered in at least one grade level 11 commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 2023. 12 c. In grades four through six, the age-appropriate and 13 research-based human growth and development instruction shall 14 incorporate the standards established under section 279.50, 15 subsection 2, paragraph b . 16 d. The health curriculum shall include the characteristics 17 of communicable diseases. 18 e. The state board as part of accreditation standards shall 19 adopt curriculum definitions for implementing the elementary 20 program. 21 4. The following shall be taught in grades seven and 22 eight: English-language arts; social studies, including 23 instruction related to civics; mathematics; science; health; 24 age-appropriate and research-based human growth and development 25 that incorporates the standards established under section 26 279.50, subsection 3, paragraph b ; career exploration 27 and development; physical education; music; and visual art. 28 Computer science instruction incorporating the standards 29 established under section 256.7, subsection 26 , paragraph a , 30 subparagraph (4), shall be offered in at least one grade level 31 commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 2023. Career 32 exploration and development shall be designed so that students 33 are appropriately prepared to create an individual career 34 and academic plan pursuant to section 279.61 , incorporate 35 -1- SF 175 (3) 91 jda/jh/mb 1/ 4
S.F. 175 foundational career and technical education concepts aligned 1 with the six career and technical education service areas as 2 defined in subsection 5 , paragraph h , incorporate relevant 3 twenty-first century skills to facilitate career readiness, 4 and introduce students to career opportunities within the 5 local community and across this state. The health curriculum 6 shall include age-appropriate and research-based information 7 regarding the characteristics of sexually transmitted diseases. 8 The state board as part of accreditation standards shall adopt 9 curriculum definitions for implementing the program in grades 10 seven and eight. However, this subsection shall not apply to 11 the teaching of career exploration and development in nonpublic 12 schools. 13 Sec. 2. Section 256.11, subsection 5, paragraph j, 14 subparagraph (1), Code 2025, is amended to read as follows: 15 (1) One unit of health education which may include personal 16 health; food and nutrition; environmental health; safety and 17 survival skills; consumer health; family life; age-appropriate 18 and research-based human growth and development that 19 incorporates the standards established under section 279.50, 20 subsection 3, paragraph b ; substance use disorder and nonuse; 21 emotional and social health; health resources; cardiopulmonary 22 resuscitation; and prevention and control of disease, including 23 age-appropriate and research-based information regarding 24 sexually transmitted diseases. 25 Sec. 3. Section 256E.7, subsection 2, paragraph g, Code 26 2025, is amended by adding the following new subparagraph: 27 NEW SUBPARAGRAPH . (01) The educational standards of 28 section 256.11 relating to the human growth and development 29 curriculum for grades four through eight or the health 30 curriculum for grades nine through twelve. 31 Sec. 4. Section 256F.4, subsection 2, Code 2025, is amended 32 by adding the following new paragraph: 33 NEW PARAGRAPH . r. Be subject to and comply with the 34 requirements of section 256.11 relating to the human growth and 35 -2- SF 175 (3) 91 jda/jh/mb 2/ 4
S.F. 175 development curriculum for grades four through eight and the 1 health curriculum for grades nine through twelve. 2 Sec. 5. Section 279.50, subsections 2 and 3, Code 2025, are 3 amended to read as follows: 4 2. a. Subject to section 279.80 , each school board shall 5 provide age-appropriate and research-based instruction in 6 human growth and development including instruction regarding 7 self-esteem, stress management, interpersonal relationships, 8 and domestic abuse in grades one through six. 9 b. In grades four through six, the age-appropriate and 10 research-based instruction in human growth and development 11 described in paragraph a shall include all of the following: 12 (1) Instruction related to human development inside the 13 womb. 14 (2) A high-definition ultrasound video showing the presence 15 of the brain, heart, and other vital organs in early fetal 16 development. 17 (3) A high-quality, computer-generated rendering or 18 animation, or an ultrasound or other real image, that depicts 19 the humanity of the unborn child by showing prenatal human 20 development, starting at fertilization, noting significant 21 markers in cell growth and organ development throughout every 22 stage of pregnancy. 23 c. The state board of education shall adopt rules pursuant 24 to chapter 17A to administer and interpret this subsection. 25 3. a. Each school board shall provide age-appropriate and 26 research-based instruction in human growth and development 27 including instruction regarding human sexuality, self-esteem, 28 stress management, interpersonal relationships, domestic abuse, 29 and the prevention and control of disease, including sexually 30 transmitted diseases as required in section 256.11 , in grades 31 seven through twelve. 32 b. The age-appropriate and research-based instruction in 33 human growth and development described in paragraph a shall 34 include all of the following: 35 -3- SF 175 (3) 91 jda/jh/mb 3/ 4
S.F. 175 (1) Instruction related to human development inside the 1 womb. 2 (2) A high-definition ultrasound video showing the presence 3 of the brain, heart, and other vital organs in early fetal 4 development. 5 (3) A high-quality, computer-generated rendering or 6 animation, or an ultrasound or other real image, that depicts 7 the humanity of the unborn child by showing prenatal human 8 development, starting at fertilization, noting significant 9 markers in cell growth and organ development throughout every 10 stage of pregnancy. 11 c. The state board of education shall adopt rules pursuant 12 to chapter 17A to administer and interpret this subsection. 13 Sec. 6. Section 279.50, subsection 10, paragraph b, Code 14 2025, is amended to read as follows: 15 b. Research-based means all of the following: 16 (1) Complete complete, unbiased information that is 17 verified or supported by the weight of research conducted 18 in compliance with accepted scientific methods ; , recognized 19 as medically accurate and objective by leading professional 20 organizations and agencies with relevant expertise in the 21 field, such as the American college of obstetricians and 22 gynecologists, the American public health association, the 23 American academy of pediatrics, and the national association of 24 school nurses; and published in peer-reviewed journals where 25 appropriate. 26 (2) Information that is free of racial, ethnic, sexual 27 orientation, and gender biases. 28 -4- SF 175 (3) 91 jda/jh/mb 4/ 4