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STATE OF IOWA
KIM REYNOLDS
GOVERNOR
June 6, 2025
The Honorable Paul Pate
Secretary of State of Iowa
State Capitol
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
Dear Mr. Secretary,
I hereby transmit:
House File 395, an Act relating to approved courses of instruction for school bus drivers,
and including effective date provisions.
The above House File is hereby approved on this date.
Sincerely,
Kim Reyn
Governor of Iowa
cc: Secretary of the Senate
Clerk of the House
STATE CAPITOL DES MOINES, IOWA 50319 515.281.5211 WWW.GOVERNOR.IOWA.GOV
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House File 395
AN ACT
RELATING TO APPROVED COURSES OF INSTRUCTION FOR SCHOOL BUS
DRIVERS, AND INCLUDING EFFECTIVE DATE PROVISIONS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
Section 1. Section 321.376, subsections 1 and 3, Code 2025,
are amended by striking the subsections and inserting in lieu
thereof the following:
1. a. In addition to meeting the qualifications under
section 321.375, a driver of a school bus shall hold a
commercial driver's license issued by the department of
transportation with a passenger endorsement and a school bus
endorsement.
b. If required by the school district, a school bus driver
shall successfully complete an approved course of instruction
for school bus drivers in accordance with subsection 3A.
c. A person holding a temporary restricted license issued
under chapter 321J shall not operate a school bus.
3. A person applying for employment or employed as a school
bus driver shall not be required to successfully complete an
approved course of instruction for school bus drivers unless
the school district for which the person drives a school bus
requires successful completion of such course.
Sec. 2. Section 321.376, Code 2025, is amended by adding the
following new subsection:
NEW SUBSECTION. 3A, a. A school district may require
successful completion of an approved course of instruction for
House File 395, p. 2
school bus drivers. An approved course of instruction for
school bus drivers includes one or more of the following:
( 1) A course of instruction for school bus drivers approved
by the department of education.
( 2) Entry-level driver training completed in accordance
with section 321.188, subsection 1, paragraph C - , if
training meets the requirements of 49 C.F.R. pt. 380,
C, and 49 C.F.R. pt. 380, Appendix D.
( a) The department of education, in collaboration with
such
Appendix
the department of transportation, shall adopt rules pursuant
to chapter 17A on or before July 1, 2026, establishing
requirements for providers of entry-level driver training to
comply with this subparagraph.
( b) The rules must provide for minimum training content,
contact hours, and proficiency standards, and must establish a
standard training course duration that ensures each training
course provides all entry-level driver training requirements
and specified school bus driver training requirements,
including but not limited to training necessary for a passenger
endorsement and a school bus endorsement.
( 3) Other training as described in a resolution adopted by
the school district, which may include but is not limited to
certain portions of a course described in subparagraph ( 1) or
( 2)
b. If a school district requires successful completion of an
approved course of instruction for school bus drivers, a school
bus driver shall complete the course before or within the first
six months of employment and at least every twenty-four months
thereafter.
c. If a school bus driver is required to complete an
approved course of instruction for school bus drivers under
paragraph - a - , subparagraph ( 1), and fails to provide an
employer with a certificate of completion of the approved
course, the employer shall report the failure to the department
of education and the department shall revoke the driver's
authorization to operate a school bus. The department of
education shall send notice of the revocation to both the
person whose school bus authorization has been revoked and
the employer. A person whose school bus authorization has
House File 395, p. 3
been revoked under this paragraph shall not be issued another
authorization until certification of the completion of an
approved course is received by the department of education,
or until the person becomes a school bus driver in a school
district that does not require successful completion of an
approved course of instruction for school bus drivers under
paragraph ' a - , subparagraph ( 1), and the person is otherwise in
compliance with section 321.375 and this section.
Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect January 1,
2026.
PAT GRASSLE
Speaker of the House President of the Senate
I hereby certify that this bill originated in the House and
is known as House File 395, Ninety-first General Assembly.
Approve , 2025