The following bills have passed the Senate:
Governor’s Parental Rights Bill: Here are the highlights of the governor’s bill to promote parental rights and school transparency:
- Prohibits an educational program and library materials from allowing any material with a description or depiction of a sex act as defined in Iowa law 702.17.
- Mandates that human growth and development curriculum (sex ed) in grades K-6 should be age-appropriate, research-based, and should not contain any instruction on gender identity or sexual activity.
- Subject to these restrictions, schools must continue to provide age-appropriate and research-based human growth and development instruction including self-esteem, stress-management, interpersonal relationships, and domestic abuse in grade 1-6.
- Students must pass the civics test developed by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services as part of the US Government course.
- Requires that school districts must receive prior written consent from a parent or guardian before conducting a formal examination or survey of a student’s mental, emotional, or physical health. Parents must also be given a copy of, or link to, the survey when notice is provided.
- Parents must also give written consent to opt their child into a survey or evaluation that reveals information protected by the federal Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment, such as political and religious affiliations and sexual behavior.
- Requires school districts to publish the following on their site:
- List of all people in direct contact with students for the purposes of student instruction or activities
- List of all books available to students in an online library catalog by July 1, 2025
- Explanation of procedures and policies regarding requesting a book to be removed, a review of decisions made by the school board, and the petition process
- Requires districts to immediately notify a parent or guardian if an employee believes the minor is expressing a gender identity different than their biological sex. If there are actual threats to a student from their parent or guardian due to gender identity, the district is to report the concerns to the Department of Health and Human Services instead of notifying the parent.
- Districts must receive prior written consent of a minor’s parent before allowing employees to address the student using a name or pronouns that differ from the student’s biological sex
- Parents and guardians are to be allowed access to and review of all school records related to the minor.
- Violations of this law will subject the district to a written warning for the first violation and disciplinary hearings before the Board of Educational Examiners for a possible loss of license for subsequent violations.
- The bill states that parents and guardians bear the ultimate responsibility and have the constitutionally protected right to make decisions affecting the minor, but excludes medically emergent situations.
SNAP (Food Stamp) Reform: This bill is designed to address the large overpayment (not fraud) SNAP rate in Iowa identified by the federal government. It establishes income, asset, and identity verification requirements for the SNAP program and improves the processes and technology to establish the eligibility of an applicant in real-time. The asset test will mean all liquid assets, including the value of a 2nd car over $10,000 with a maximum allowed limit of $15,000. It does not count a house, a 1st car, and the value of a 2nd car under $10,000, household goods, pension, or retirement accounts. The income test for Iowa currently is 160% below the federal poverty level (FPL). This does not change that. This reform will likely find some are disenrolled from SNAP but that will be because they weren’t eligible from the start. This is to ensure that only those who are truly in need are eligible and will get the benefits and to provide accountability for taxpayer dollars.
Certificate of Need: Iowa currently regulates the number of health care facilities and their expansions by requiring them to get approval (called a certificate of need) from the Health Facilities Council to move ahead with the proposed facility or expansion. Under this bill the following facilities will no longer need to apply for a certificate of need: mental health facilities, birthing centers, health care facilities or expansions under $5 million, service expansion, including mobile, new or replacement equipment, and air transportation by a hospital. The Health Facilities Council will be disbanded and any remaining duties will be carried out by Iowa HHS. The certificate of need process would only pertain to brick and mortar health care facilities that are new or relocated, capital expenditures in excess of $5 million, and a permanent change in bed capacity. This change is designed to help spur development of health care services and facilities in rural areas, improve competition and lower health care costs. 15 states no longer have the certificate of need process and they have lower costs and more access due to competition.
Fresh Milk Bill: This bill provides for the on-farm, small scale production and sale of raw, unpasteurized, ungraded milk. The bill helps to meet the niche market demand while promoting strong, local connections between consumers and producers. The raw milk producer is required to post the coliform and standard plate tests at their distribution point where their raw milk products are sold. The producer may deliver raw milk to a consumer, but not at a place of business where food or food items are sold retail. Producers also may not sell raw milk at farmers markets or home-based food businesses. Containers holding raw milk or a raw milk dairy product shall have a label notifying consumers that the milk is not subject to state inspection or other public health regulations. The bill exempts raw milk dairies, raw milk dairy products, and raw milk from DIA or IDALS inspection.
Hands Free: This would prohibit the use of a cell phone while driving unless the driver is using a “hands-free” mode. This would now be a moving violation. Certain exceptions, such as for law enforcement, apply.
Public Pension Funds Investment: Prohibits public pension funds from investing in companies associated with the Chinese military
Pregnancy Accommodations: Requires reasonable accommodations to be available for students at Regent universities and community colleges who are pregnant or recently gave birth.
Youth Deer Tags: Youth deer tags will be available for purchase during the same time as other deer tags. This allows a youth to purchase a tag during a season after youth season and be able to fill it in any subsequent season.
Bow Hunters Bill: Allows a hunter who purchased a bow season hunting license but was unsuccessful in filling it during bow season, to use their tag for either the late muzzleloader or January antlerless season.
