Senate Study Bill 1065 - Introduced SENATE/HOUSE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED GOVERNOR BILL) A BILL FOR An Act relating to electronic devices in schools, including 1 student access during instructional hours, school safety 2 plans, and instruction related to the effects of social 3 media in grades six through eight, and including effective 4 date provisions. 5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 6 TLSB 1123XL (10) 91 jda/jh
S.F. _____ H.F. _____ Section 1. Section 256.9, Code 2025, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsections: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 69. Develop and distribute to school 3 districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and 4 innovation zone schools model policies that, if adopted, would 5 satisfy the school districts, charter schools, or innovation 6 zone schools responsibilities under section 279.87 relating to 7 policies governing student use of personal electronic devices. 8 NEW SUBSECTION . 70. Consult with the department of health 9 and human services regarding the effects of social media on 10 students enrolled in grades six through eight and provide 11 professional development support to teachers employed by school 12 districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to 13 assist such teachers in providing the instruction related 14 to the effects of social media described in section 256.11, 15 subsections 3 and 4. 16 Sec. 2. Section 256.11, subsections 3 and 4, Code 2025, are 17 amended to read as follows: 18 3. a. The All of the following areas shall be taught in 19 grades one through six: 20 (1) English-language arts , social . 21 (2) Social studies , mathematics, science, health, physical . 22 (3) Mathematics. 23 (4) Science. 24 (5) Health. The health curriculum shall include all of the 25 following: 26 (a) The characteristics of communicable diseases. 27 (b) In grade six, instruction related to the effects of 28 social media. 29 (6) Physical education , traffic . 30 (7) Traffic safety , music, visual . 31 (8) Music. 32 (9) Visual art , and, subject . 33 (10) Subject to section 279.80 , age-appropriate and 34 research-based human growth and development. 35 -1- LSB 1123XL (10) 91 jda/jh 1/ 8
S.F. _____ H.F. _____ b. Computer science instruction incorporating the standards 1 established under section 256.7, subsection 26 , paragraph 2 a , subparagraph (4), shall be offered in at least one grade 3 level commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 2023. 4 The health curriculum shall include the characteristics of 5 communicable diseases. 6 c. The state board as part of accreditation standards shall 7 adopt curriculum definitions for implementing the elementary 8 program. 9 4. a. The All of the following shall be taught in grades 10 seven and eight: 11 (1) English-language arts ; social . 12 (2) Social studies, including instruction related to 13 civics ; mathematics; science; health; age-appropriate . 14 (3) Mathematics. 15 (4) Science. 16 (5) Health. The health curriculum shall include all of the 17 following: 18 (a) Age-appropriate and research-based information 19 regarding the characteristics of sexually transmitted diseases. 20 (b) Instruction related to the effects of social media. 21 (6) Age-appropriate and research-based human growth and 22 development ; career . 23 (7) Career exploration and development ; physical . 24 (8) Physical education ; music; and visual . 25 (9) Music. 26 (10) Visual art. 27 b. Computer science instruction incorporating the standards 28 established under section 256.7, subsection 26 , paragraph a , 29 subparagraph (4), shall be offered in at least one grade level 30 commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 2023. Career 31 exploration and development shall be designed so that students 32 are appropriately prepared to create an individual career 33 and academic plan pursuant to section 279.61 , incorporate 34 foundational career and technical education concepts aligned 35 -2- LSB 1123XL (10) 91 jda/jh 2/ 8
S.F. _____ H.F. _____ with the six career and technical education service areas as 1 defined in subsection 5 , paragraph h , incorporate relevant 2 twenty-first century skills to facilitate career readiness, 3 and introduce students to career opportunities within the 4 local community and across this state. The health curriculum 5 shall include age-appropriate and research-based information 6 regarding the characteristics of sexually transmitted diseases. 7 c. The state board as part of accreditation standards shall 8 adopt curriculum definitions for implementing the program in 9 grades seven and eight. However, this 10 d. This subsection shall not apply to the teaching of career 11 exploration and development in nonpublic schools. 12 Sec. 3. Section 256E.7, subsection 2, paragraph g, Code 13 2025, is amended by adding the following new subparagraph: 14 NEW SUBPARAGRAPH . (3) The educational standards 15 established in section 256.11, subsections 3 and 4, related to 16 the inclusion of instruction related to the effects of social 17 media in the health curriculum. 18 Sec. 4. Section 256E.7, subsection 2, Code 2025, is amended 19 by adding the following new paragraph: 20 NEW PARAGRAPH . 0t. Be subject to and comply with the 21 requirements of section 279.87 relating to policies governing 22 student use of personal electronic devices in the same manner 23 as a school district. 24 Sec. 5. Section 256F.4, subsection 2, Code 2025, is amended 25 by adding the following new paragraphs: 26 NEW PARAGRAPH . r. Be subject to and comply with the 27 requirements of section 256.11, subsections 3 and 4, relating 28 to the inclusion of instruction related to the effects of 29 social media in the health curriculum. 30 NEW PARAGRAPH . s. Be subject to and comply with the 31 requirements of section 279.87 relating to policies governing 32 student use of personal electronic devices in the same manner 33 as a school district. 34 Sec. 6. NEW SECTION . 279.87 Limitation on the use of 35 -3- LSB 1123XL (10) 91 jda/jh 3/ 8
S.F. _____ H.F. _____ personal electronic devices. 1 1. Commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 2025, 2 the board of directors of each school district shall adopt 3 policies regarding student use of personal electronic devices 4 during school hours that restrict student use of such devices 5 during classroom instructional time. The policies must meet 6 all of the following requirements: 7 a. Identify policies and information related to various 8 educational devices and technologies that will be made 9 available to students for instructional purposes. 10 b. Identify the methods that a parent or guardian of 11 a student may use to communicate with the student during 12 school hours or while the student is participating in a 13 school-sponsored activity. 14 c. Identify the methods that a parent or guardian of a 15 student may use to communicate with the student during an 16 emergency situation. 17 d. Include protocols that the school district will use to 18 securely store a students personal electronic device when such 19 device is in the possession of the school district. 20 e. Specify the discipline associated with a students 21 violation of the policies, including the discipline associated 22 with a students use of a personal electronic device during 23 classroom instruction or during the administration of an 24 assessment. 25 f. Establish a process through which a students parent 26 or guardian may petition the school district to allow the 27 student to maintain access to the students personal electronic 28 device during the portion of the school day in which classroom 29 instructional time is delivered if the students parent or 30 guardian can establish that there is a legitimate reason 31 related to the students physical or mental health for the 32 student to maintain access to the device during such time. 33 g. Allow a student who has an individualized education 34 program, or a plan under section 504 of the federal 35 -4- LSB 1123XL (10) 91 jda/jh 4/ 8
S.F. _____ H.F. _____ Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C. 794, to maintain access to the 1 students personal electronic device during the portion of the 2 school day in which classroom instructional time is delivered 3 if the students individualized education program, or plan 4 under section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C. 5 794, requires the student to maintain such access. 6 2. The board of directors of a school district may adopt 7 policies that limit student use of personal electronic devices 8 during school hours, including the use of such devices during 9 classroom instructional time, that are more stringent than the 10 model policies developed and distributed by the director of the 11 department of education pursuant to section 256.9, subsection 12 69. 13 3. For purposes of this section, personal electronic 14 device includes but is not limited to electronic communication 15 equipment, mobile phones, smart phones, video game devices, and 16 portable media players. 17 4. The state board of education may adopt rules pursuant to 18 chapter 17A to administer this section. 19 Sec. 7. REVISION OF HIGH-QUALITY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS 20 PLANS. 21 1. The department of education and the department of public 22 safety shall do all of the following: 23 a. Consult regarding revisions that school districts need 24 to make to high-quality emergency operations plans developed 25 pursuant to section 280.30 to take into account the provisions 26 of section 279.87, as enacted by this Act, and revisions 27 that accredited nonpublic schools may make to such plans to 28 take into account policies regarding student use of personal 29 electronic devices during school hours. 30 b. Provide support and guidance to school districts 31 regarding how to revise high-quality emergency operations 32 plans developed pursuant to section 280.30 so that such plans 33 are consistent with the provisions of section 279.87, as 34 enacted by this Act, and provide similar support and guidance 35 -5- LSB 1123XL (10) 91 jda/jh 5/ 8
S.F. _____ H.F. _____ to accredited nonpublic schools that elect to adopt policies 1 regarding student use of personal electronic devices during 2 school hours. 3 2. On or before July 1, 2025, each school district shall 4 revise the school districts high-quality emergency operations 5 plans developed pursuant to section 280.30 so that such plans 6 are consistent with the provisions of section 279.87, as 7 enacted by this Act. 8 Sec. 8. STATE MANDATE FUNDING SPECIFIED. In accordance 9 with section 25B.2, subsection 3, the state cost of requiring 10 compliance with any state mandate included in this Act shall 11 be paid by a school district from state school foundation aid 12 received by the school district under section 257.16. This 13 specification of the payment of the state cost shall be deemed 14 to meet all of the state funding-related requirements of 15 section 25B.2, subsection 3, and no additional state funding 16 shall be necessary for the full implementation of this Act 17 by and enforcement of this Act against all affected school 18 districts. 19 Sec. 9. EFFECTIVE DATE. The following, being deemed of 20 immediate importance, take effect upon enactment: 21 1. The section of this Act enacting section 279.87. 22 2. The section of this Act relating to the revision of 23 high-quality emergency operations plans. 24 3. The section of this Act relating to the specification of 25 state mandate funding. 26 EXPLANATION 27 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 28 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 29 This bill relates to electronic devices in schools, 30 including student access during instructional hours, school 31 safety plans, and instruction related to the effects of social 32 media in grades six through eight. 33 The bill requires that instruction related to the effects 34 of social media be incorporated into the health curriculum 35 -6- LSB 1123XL (10) 91 jda/jh 6/ 8
S.F. _____ H.F. _____ provided to students enrolled in grades six through eight 1 in school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter 2 schools, and innovation zone schools. The bill requires the 3 director of the department of education (DE) to consult with 4 the department of health and human services regarding the 5 effects of social media and provide professional development 6 support to teachers to assist such teachers in providing such 7 instruction to students. 8 Commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 2025, 9 the bill requires school districts, charter schools, and 10 innovation zone schools to adopt policies regarding student 11 use of personal electronic devices during school hours. The 12 bill establishes what the policies are to include. The bill 13 requires the director of DE to develop and distribute to 14 schools model policies that, if adopted, would satisfy the 15 schools responsibilities under these provisions. However, 16 schools may adopt policies that are more stringent than these 17 model policies. The bill defines personal electronic device 18 to include electronic communication equipment, mobile phones, 19 smart phones, video game devices, and portable media players. 20 These provisions take effect upon enactment. The bill requires 21 DE and the department of public safety to consult regarding 22 revisions that schools may need to make to high-quality 23 emergency operations plans developed pursuant to Code section 24 280.30 to take into account the policies adopted pursuant to 25 the bills provisions and to provide support and guidance 26 to schools regarding how to revise high-quality emergency 27 operations plans so that such plans are consistent with the 28 bills provisions. The bill also requires school districts to 29 revise the high-quality emergency operations plans on or before 30 July 1, 2025, so that such plans are consistent with the bills 31 provisions. These provisions take effect upon enactment. 32 The bill may include a state mandate as defined in Code 33 section 25B.3. The bill requires that the state cost of 34 any state mandate included in the bill be paid by a school 35 -7- LSB 1123XL (10) 91 jda/jh 7/ 8
S.F. _____ H.F. _____ district from state school foundation aid received by the 1 school district under Code section 257.16. The specification 2 is deemed to constitute state compliance with any state mandate 3 funding-related requirements of Code section 25B.2. The 4 inclusion of this specification is intended to reinstate the 5 requirement of political subdivisions to comply with any state 6 mandates included in the bill. This provision takes effect 7 upon enactment. 8 -8- LSB 1123XL (10) 91 jda/jh 8/ 8