Read the full stored bill text
House
File
536
-
Introduced
HOUSE
FILE
536
BY
GEARHART
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
relating
to
firearm,
hunting,
and
wildlife
instruction
1
provided
to
students
enrolled
in
grades
six
through
eight
2
in
school
districts,
accredited
nonpublic
schools,
charter
3
schools,
and
innovation
zone
schools,
and
including
4
applicability
provisions.
5
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
6
TLSB
2354HH
(3)
91
jda/jh
H.F.
536
Section
1.
Section
80.5,
Code
2025,
is
amended
by
adding
the
1
following
new
subsection:
2
NEW
SUBSECTION
.
13.
a.
The
department
shall
cooperate
3
with
the
director
of
the
department
of
natural
resources
in
the
4
development
of
the
model
program
described
in
section
455A.4,
5
subsection
1,
paragraph
“k”
.
6
b.
The
department
shall
deem
a
student’s
completion
of
7
the
model
program
described
in
section
455A.4,
subsection
1,
8
paragraph
“k”
,
as
a
successful
completion
of
approved
firearm
9
safety
training
under
section
724.9.
10
Sec.
2.
Section
256E.7,
subsection
2,
Code
2025,
is
amended
11
by
adding
the
following
new
paragraph:
12
NEW
PARAGRAPH
.
0t.
Be
subject
to
and
comply
with
the
13
requirements
of
section
280.36
relating
to
hunting,
wildlife,
14
and
firearms
curricula
or
extracurricular
activities
in
the
15
same
manner
as
a
school
district.
16
Sec.
3.
Section
256F.4,
subsection
2,
Code
2025,
is
amended
17
by
adding
the
following
new
paragraph:
18
NEW
PARAGRAPH
.
r.
Be
subject
to
and
comply
with
the
19
requirements
of
section
280.36
relating
to
hunting,
wildlife,
20
and
firearms
curricula
or
extracurricular
activities
in
the
21
same
manner
as
a
school
district.
22
Sec.
4.
NEW
SECTION
.
280.36
Hunting,
wildlife,
and
firearms
23
——
curricula
and
extracurricular
activities.
24
1.
In
grades
six
through
eight,
the
board
of
directors
of
25
each
school
district
and
the
authorities
in
charge
of
each
26
accredited
nonpublic
school
shall
offer
or
make
available
as
27
part
of
the
physical
education,
health,
or
science
instruction,
28
or
as
an
extracurricular
activity,
the
model
program
developed
29
by
the
department
of
natural
resources
and
the
department
30
of
public
safety
pursuant
to
section
455A.4,
subsection
1,
31
paragraph
“k”
.
The
practical
components
of
such
curricula
or
32
extracurricular
activity,
including
hands-on
firearm
safety
33
demonstrations,
must
be
conducted
under
controlled
conditions
34
with
appropriate
supervision
and
safety
protocols.
35
-1-
LSB
2354HH
(3)
91
jda/jh
1/
6
H.F.
536
2.
The
board
of
directors
of
a
school
district
or
the
1
authorities
in
charge
of
an
accredited
nonpublic
school
2
shall
not
allow
a
student
to
participate
in
the
curricula
or
3
extracurricular
activity
described
in
subsection
1
unless
4
the
student’s
parent
or
guardian
submits
to
the
principal
5
of
the
student’s
school
written
consent
for
the
student
to
6
participate.
7
3.
If
the
board
of
directors
of
a
school
district
or
8
the
authorities
in
charge
of
an
accredited
nonpublic
school
9
offer
or
make
available
the
model
program
as
part
of
the
10
physical
education,
health,
or
science
curricula,
the
school
11
district
or
accredited
nonpublic
school
shall
not
require
a
12
student
to
participate
in
such
curricula
if
the
student’s
13
parent
or
guardian
submits
to
the
principal
of
the
student’s
14
school
a
written
request
for
the
student
to
be
excused
from
15
participation.
16
4.
A
school
employee
or
contractor
providing
instruction
17
related
to
the
model
program
developed
by
the
department
of
18
natural
resources
and
the
department
of
public
safety
pursuant
19
to
section
455A.4,
subsection
1,
paragraph
“k”
,
must
satisfy
all
20
of
the
following
requirements:
21
a.
The
employee
or
contractor
must
have
successfully
22
completed
a
hunter
education
course
approved
by
the
natural
23
resources
commission
and
been
issued
a
certificate
of
24
completion
under
section
483A.27.
25
b.
The
employee
or
contractor
must
have
successfully
26
completed
approved
firearm
safety
training
under
section
724.9.
27
5.
The
board
of
directors
of
a
school
district
or
the
28
authorities
in
charge
of
an
accredited
nonpublic
school
29
may
collaborate
with
local
conservation
organizations,
law
30
enforcement
agencies,
and
community
groups
to
enhance
such
31
curricula
or
extracurricular
activities
provided
pursuant
to
32
this
section.
33
6.
The
board
of
directors
of
each
school
district
and
the
34
authorities
in
charge
of
each
accredited
nonpublic
school
shall
35
-2-
LSB
2354HH
(3)
91
jda/jh
2/
6
H.F.
536
provide
information
to
the
department
of
natural
resources
1
related
to
the
number
of
students
who
complete
the
curricula
or
2
extracurricular
activity
described
in
subsection
1.
3
Sec.
5.
Section
455A.4,
subsection
1,
Code
2025,
is
amended
4
by
adding
the
following
new
paragraph:
5
NEW
PARAGRAPH
.
k.
(1)
Develop,
in
consultation
with
6
the
department
of
public
safety,
and
distribute
to
school
7
districts,
accredited
nonpublic
schools,
charter
schools,
and
8
innovation
zone
schools,
an
age-appropriate
model
program
for
9
students
enrolled
in
grades
six
through
eight
that
includes
10
curricula
related
to
all
of
the
following:
11
(a)
Firearm
safety,
handling,
and
storage.
12
(b)
Iowa
hunting
laws
and
regulations.
13
(c)
Wildlife
conservation
and
ethical
hunting
practices.
14
(d)
Emergency
preparedness,
outdoor
survival
skills,
and
15
first
aid.
16
(2)
The
director
shall
issue
a
certificate
of
completion
of
17
a
hunter
education
course
to
a
student
who
completes
a
course
18
that
uses
the
model
program
described
in
subparagraph
(1).
19
(3)
The
director
shall,
in
consultation
with
the
department
20
of
public
safety,
maintain
a
database
of
students
who
have
21
obtained
a
hunter
education
certificate,
or
have
been
deemed
22
by
the
department
of
public
safety
to
have
successfully
23
completed
approved
firearm
safety
training
under
section
24
724.9,
as
a
result
of
completing
the
model
program
described
25
in
subparagraph
(1),
to
streamline
licensing
and
recordkeeping
26
processes.
27
(4)
The
director
shall,
in
consultation
with
the
department
28
of
public
safety,
submit
an
annual
report
to
the
general
29
assembly,
on
or
before
June
30
each
year,
that
contains
30
information
related
to
the
number
of
students
in
this
state
who
31
participate
in
the
model
program
described
in
subparagraph
(1),
32
the
number
of
students
who
have
obtained
a
hunter
education
33
certificate,
or
have
been
deemed
by
the
department
of
public
34
safety
to
have
successfully
completed
approved
firearm
safety
35
-3-
LSB
2354HH
(3)
91
jda/jh
3/
6
H.F.
536
training
under
section
724.9,
as
a
result
of
completing
the
1
model
program
described
in
subparagraph
(1),
and
feedback
from
2
educators,
students,
and
parents.
3
(5)
The
director
shall
review
the
model
program
described
in
4
subparagraph
(1)
every
five
years
and
revise
the
model
program
5
as
necessary
to
ensure
continued
effectiveness,
safety,
and
6
compliance
with
state
and
federal
standards.
7
Sec.
6.
STATE
MANDATE
FUNDING
SPECIFIED.
In
accordance
8
with
section
25B.2,
subsection
3,
the
state
cost
of
requiring
9
compliance
with
any
state
mandate
included
in
this
Act
shall
10
be
paid
by
a
school
district
from
state
school
foundation
aid
11
received
by
the
school
district
under
section
257.16.
This
12
specification
of
the
payment
of
the
state
cost
shall
be
deemed
13
to
meet
all
of
the
state
funding-related
requirements
of
14
section
25B.2,
subsection
3,
and
no
additional
state
funding
15
shall
be
necessary
for
the
full
implementation
of
this
Act
16
by
and
enforcement
of
this
Act
against
all
affected
school
17
districts.
18
Sec.
7.
APPLICABILITY.
The
following
apply
to
school
years
19
beginning
on
or
after
July
1,
2026:
20
1.
The
section
of
this
Act
enacting
section
256E.7,
21
subsection
2,
paragraph
“0t”.
22
2.
The
section
of
this
Act
enacting
section
256F.4,
23
subsection
2,
paragraph
“r”.
24
3.
The
section
of
this
Act
enacting
section
280.36.
25
EXPLANATION
26
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
27
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
28
This
bill
relates
to
firearm,
hunting,
and
wildlife
29
instruction
provided
to
students
enrolled
in
grades
six
through
30
eight
in
school
districts,
accredited
nonpublic
schools,
31
charter
schools,
and
innovation
zone
schools.
32
The
bill
requires
the
director
of
the
department
of
natural
33
resources
to
develop,
in
consultation
with
the
department
of
34
public
safety,
and
distribute
to
school
districts,
accredited
35
-4-
LSB
2354HH
(3)
91
jda/jh
4/
6
H.F.
536
nonpublic
schools,
charter
schools,
and
innovation
zone
1
schools,
an
age-appropriate
model
program
for
students
enrolled
2
in
grades
six
through
eight
that
includes
instruction
related
3
to
firearm
safety,
handling,
and
storage;
Iowa
hunting
laws
4
and
regulations;
wildlife
conservation
and
ethical
hunting
5
practices;
and
emergency
preparedness,
outdoor
survival
skills,
6
and
first
aid.
The
director
of
the
department
of
natural
7
resources
is
also
required
to
issue
a
certificate
of
completion
8
of
a
hunter
education
course
to
a
student
who
completes
a
9
course
that
uses
the
model
program.
The
bill
establishes
10
annual
reporting
requirements
and
review
requirements
related
11
to
the
model
program.
12
The
bill
requires
the
department
of
public
safety
to
13
cooperate
with
the
director
of
the
department
of
natural
14
resources
in
the
development
of
the
model
program.
The
15
bill
also
requires
the
department
of
public
safety
to
deem
16
a
student’s
completion
of
the
model
program
as
a
successful
17
completion
of
approved
firearm
safety.
18
The
bill
requires
the
director
of
the
department
of
natural
19
resources,
in
consultation
with
the
department
of
public
20
safety,
to
maintain
a
database
of
students
who
have
obtained
21
a
hunter
education
certificate,
or
have
been
deemed
by
the
22
department
of
public
safety
to
have
successfully
completed
23
approved
firearm
safety
training,
as
a
result
of
completing
the
24
model
program.
25
The
bill
provides
that,
in
grades
six
through
eight,
school
26
districts,
accredited
nonpublic
schools,
charter
schools,
27
and
innovation
zone
schools
are
required
to
offer
or
make
28
available
as
part
of
the
physical
education,
health,
or
29
science
instruction,
or
as
an
extracurricular
activity,
the
30
model
program.
The
practical
components
of
such
curricula
31
or
extracurricular
activity,
including
hands-on
firearm
32
safety
demonstrations,
must
be
conducted
under
controlled
33
conditions
with
appropriate
supervision
and
safety
protocols.
34
The
bill
provides
that
a
school
shall
not
allow
a
student
to
35
-5-
LSB
2354HH
(3)
91
jda/jh
5/
6
H.F.
536
participate
in
the
curricula
or
extracurricular
activity
unless
1
the
student’s
parent
or
guardian
submits
to
the
principal
2
of
the
student’s
school
written
consent
for
the
student
to
3
participate.
Additionally,
the
bill
provides
that
if
the
4
school
offers
or
makes
available
the
model
program
as
part
5
of
the
physical
education,
health,
or
science
curricula,
the
6
school
shall
not
require
a
student
to
participate
in
such
7
curricula
if
the
student’s
parent
or
guardian
submits
to
the
8
principal
of
the
student’s
school
a
written
request
for
the
9
student
to
be
excused
from
participation.
These
provisions
10
apply
to
school
years
beginning
on
or
after
July
1,
2026.
11
The
bill
provides
that
a
school
employee
or
contractor
12
providing
instruction
related
to
the
model
program
must
have
13
successfully
completed
a
hunter
education
course
and
been
14
issued
a
certificate
of
completion
and
must
have
successfully
15
completed
approved
firearm
safety
training.
This
provision
16
applies
to
school
years
beginning
on
or
after
July
1,
2026.
17
The
bill
requires
schools
to
provide
information
to
the
18
department
of
natural
resources
related
to
the
number
of
19
students
who
complete
the
curricula
or
extracurricular
20
activity.
This
provision
applies
to
school
years
beginning
on
21
or
after
July
1,
2026.
22
The
bill
may
include
a
state
mandate
as
defined
in
Code
23
section
25B.3.
The
bill
requires
that
the
state
cost
of
24
any
state
mandate
included
in
the
bill
be
paid
by
a
school
25
district
from
state
school
foundation
aid
received
by
the
26
school
district
under
Code
section
257.16.
The
specification
27
is
deemed
to
constitute
state
compliance
with
any
state
mandate
28
funding-related
requirements
of
Code
section
25B.2.
The
29
inclusion
of
this
specification
is
intended
to
reinstate
the
30
requirement
of
political
subdivisions
to
comply
with
any
state
31
mandates
included
in
the
bill.
32
-6-
LSB
2354HH
(3)
91
jda/jh
6/
6