House File 2073 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2073 BY HAYES , KNIFF MCCULLA , SHERMAN , M. THOMPSON , STOLTENBERG , DIEKEN , HENDERSON , ANDREWS , FISHER , GRABER , HORA , GOLDING , BRADLEY , GEHLBACH , DUNWELL , THOMSON , GUSTOFF , CARLSON , CISNEROS , OSMUNDSON , HOLT , BODEN , JENEARY , JOHNSON , and YOUNG A BILL FOR An Act authorizing school districts, charter schools, and 1 innovation zone schools to employ chaplains, or engage 2 volunteer chaplains, to provide services to students. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 5517YH (7) 90 jda/jh

H.F. 2073 Section 1. Section 256E.7, subsection 1, Code 2024, is 1 amended by adding the following new paragraph: 2 NEW PARAGRAPH . j. Employ chaplains, or engage chaplains to 3 serve without compensation or remuneration, in the same manner 4 as a school district under section 279.84. 5 Sec. 2. Section 256F.4, Code 2024, is amended by adding the 6 following new subsection: 7 NEW SUBSECTION . 9. A charter school or innovation zone 8 school may employ chaplains, or engage chaplains to serve 9 without compensation or remuneration, in the same manner as a 10 school district under section 279.84. 11 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION . 279.84 School chaplains. 12 1. The board of directors of a school district may employ a 13 chaplain, or engage a chaplain to serve without compensation or 14 remuneration, to provide support, services, and programs for 15 students as assigned by the board of directors of the school 16 district. 17 2. The board of directors of a school district shall not 18 require a chaplain employed or engaged under this section to 19 have a license, endorsement, certification, authorization, or 20 statement of recognition issued by the board of educational 21 examiners. 22 3. The procedure for background investigations and 23 termination established in section 279.69 shall apply to 24 chaplains employed or engaged under this section. 25 4. The board of directors of a school district shall not 26 require or coerce a student to utilize the support, services, 27 or programs provided by a chaplain who is employed or engaged 28 by the board of directors of the school district pursuant to 29 this section. 30 EXPLANATION 31 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 32 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 33 This bill authorizes school districts, charter schools, 34 and innovation zone schools to employ chaplains, or engage 35 -1- LSB 5517YH (7) 90 jda/jh 1/ 2

H.F. 2073 volunteer chaplains, to provide support, services, and programs 1 for students. The bill provides that such chaplains are 2 not required to have a license, endorsement, certification, 3 authorization, or statement of recognition issued by the board 4 of educational examiners. The bill requires school districts, 5 charter schools, and innovation zone schools to follow the 6 background investigation and termination procedures established 7 under Code section 279.69 when employing chaplains or engaging 8 volunteer chaplains. The bill prohibits school districts, 9 charter schools, and innovation zone schools from requiring 10 or coercing a student to utilize the support, services, or 11 programs provided by a chaplain. 12 -2- LSB 5517YH (7) 90 jda/jh 2/ 2