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STATE OF IOWA
KIM REYNOLDS
GOVERNOR
May 27, 2025
The Honorable Paul Pate
Secretary of State of Iowa
State Capitol
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
Dear Mr. Secretary,
I hereby transmit:
House File 835, an Act relating to school personnel training, including by implementing
provisions related to emergency care planning, authorizations for assisting, and
limitations of liability concerning students with epilepsy or a seizure disorder, and
requiring the department of education to convene a health care- related training for school
personnel work group.
The above House File is hereby approved on this date.
Kim Reynolds
Governor of Iowa
cc: Secretary of the Senate
Clerk of the House
STATE CAPITOL DES MOINES, IOWA 50319 515.281.5211 FAX 515.725.3527 WWW.GOVERNOR.IOWA.GOV
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House File 835
AN ACT
RELATING TO SCHOOL PERSONNEL TRAINING, INCLUDING BY
IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS RELATED TO EMERGENCY CARE PLANNING,
AUTHORIZATIONS FOR ASSISTING, AND LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY
CONCERNING STUDENTS WITH EPILEPSY OR SEIZURE DISORDER, AND
REQUIRING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO CONVENE A HEALTH
CARE- RELATED TRAINING FOR SCHOOL PERSONNEL WORK GROUP.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
Section 1. NEW SECTION. 280.13D Seizure action plan and
training requirements.
1. For the purposes of this section, unless the context
otherwise requires:
a. - IndividuaZ health plan"" means the confidential, written,
preplanned, and ongoing special health service developed for a
student who requires such service to be incorporated with the
student's educational program.
House File 835, P. 2
b. " School nurse - means a registered nurse holding current
licensure recognized by the board of nursing who practices in
the school setting to promote and protect the health of the
school population by using knowledge from the nursing, social,
and public health sciences.
C. " School personnel - means principals, guidance counselors,
teachers, and other relevant employees who have direct contact
with and supervise children, including school bus drivers and
para- educators.
d. " Seizure action plan - means a written set of instructions
designed to direct caregivers and staff to intervene in the
event of a seizure occurrence and is considered a plan for
emergencies as a part of an individual health plan.
2. a. Starting with the school year beginning July 1,
2025, the board of directors of each school district and the
authorities in charge of each accredited nonpublic school shall
have at least one school employee at each school who has met
the training requirements necessary to administer or assist
with the self- administration of all of the following:
( 1) A medication approved by the United States food and
drug administration to treat seizure disorder symptoms or
a medication approved by the United States food and drug
administration as a seizure rescue medication.
( 2) A manual dose of prescribed electrical stimulation
using a vagus nerve stimulator magnet approved by the United
States food and drug administration.
b. The presence of a school nurse employed full-time by
a school district or accredited nonpublic school who assumes
responsibility for the administration of seizure medications
and the administration oversight of vagus nerve stimulation
shall fulfill the requirements of paragraph - a - . This section
shall not be construed to require school personnel, other than
a school nurse, to administer a suppository to a student.
3. a. On or before December 31, 2026, each public school
and each accredited nonpublic school shall provide training to
all school personnel on how to recognize the signs and symptoms
of seizures and the appropriate steps for seizure first aid.
b. Each public school and each accredited nonpublic school
shall require school personnel responsible for the supervision
House File 835, p. 3
or care of students to undergo seizure recognition and first
aid training on a biennial basis.
4. Any training programs or guidelines adopted by a state
agency for the training of school personnel in the health care
needs of students diagnosed with a seizure disorder shall be
consistent with training programs and guidelines developed
by the epilepsy foundation of America or any successor
organization.
5. This section shall not be construed to limit the
authority of a school district, an accredited nonpublic school,
or the department of education to require additional seizure
disorder training.
6. a. Prior to school personnel administering medication
prescribed to treat a student's seizure disorder symptoms, a
school or accredited nonpublic school shall obtain a signed and
dated authorization from the student's parent or guardian that
authorizes a person who meets the requirements of subsection 2
to administer medication in accordance with the school's policy
and procedures.
b. Authorizations required pursuant to paragraph - J - shall
be effective for the school year in which the authorization is
granted and must be renewed each school year.
7. Upon the request of a student's parent or guardian,
a school district or accredited nonpublic school shall
collaborate with the parent or guardian and relevant licensed
health care professionals, including the school nurse or
education team, in the development of an individual health
plan, and a seizure action plan if appropriate, consistent
with rules adopted by the state board of education. The
individual health plan or seizure action plan shall be based
on the student's needs and may include but is not limited
to assessment, nursing diagnosis, outcomes, planning,
interventions, student goals, and a plan for emergencies to
provide direction in managing the student's health needs. The
plan shall be updated consistent with timelines for individual
health plans and with rules adopted by the state board of
education.
8. a. Each school district and each accredited nonpublic
school shall maintain all authorizations pursuant to subsection
House File 835, p. 4
6, individual health plans, and seizure action plans for
enrolled students on file in the office of the school nurse or
school administrator.
b. Each school district and each accredited nonpublic
school shall distribute information regarding a student's
seizure action plan to any school personnel responsible for the
supervision or care of the student.
9. The requirements of subsections 6, 7, and 8 shall only
apply to a school district or accredited nonpublic school that
has either of the following:
a. An enrolled student with a known diagnosis of epilepsy or
seizure disorder.
b. An enrolled student who is known to currently be taking
medication prescribed by a health care provider as that term
is defined in section 10A.711, and approved by the United
States food and drug administration to treat seizure disorder
symptoms.
10. The state board of education shall adopt rules to
establish a seizure education program for the purpose of
providing school districts and accredited nonpublic schools an
age- appropriate program on seizures and seizure disorders. The
seizure education program shall be consistent with guidelines
published by the epilepsy foundation of America or any
successor organization, and participation in the program shall
be optional.
11. A school district or accredited nonpublic school, an
employee of a school district or accredited nonpublic school,
or an agent of a school district or accredited nonpublic school
acting reasonably, in good faith, and in compliance with a
students individual health plan and seizure action plan shall
not be liable for any claim for injuries or damages arising
from actions taken to assist a student with the students needs
related to epilepsy or a seizure disorder.
Sec. 2. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION — HEALTH CARE- RELATED
TRAINING FOR SCHOOL PERSONNEL WORK GROUP.
1. The department of education shall convene and provide
administrative support to a health care- related training
for school personnel work group. The work group shall
review and develop a plan to ensure Iowa educators have the
House File 835, p. 5
health care training necessary to perform their duties and
responsibilities, and shall consider and submit recommendations
for delivery and implementation of training required under
state law or rule.
2. The work group shall include all of the following:
a. ( 1) Two members who are staff members from the
department of education, one of whom shall be an administrative
consultant in the bureau of nutrition and health services.
A member appointed under this subparagraph shall coordinate
the work group and act as chairperson for the organizational
meeting.
( 2) One member who is a staff member from the Iowa
department of health and human services.
b. Members who shall represent each of the following:
( 1) One member from a statewide organization representing
teachers.
( 2) One member from a statewide organization representing
school board members.
( 3) One member from a statewide organization representing
school administrators.
( 4) One member from a statewide organization representing
authorities in charge of accredited nonpublic schools.
( 5) One member representing the area education agencies.
( 6) One member from a statewide organization representing
physicians.
( 7) One member from a statewide organization representing
athletic trainers.
( 8) One member from a statewide organization representing
emergency management services.
( 9) One member from a statewide organization representing
health care organizations.
( 10) One member from a statewide organization representing
school nurses.
3. Any expenses incurred by a member of the work group
shall be the responsibility of the individual member or the
respective entity represented by the member.
4. The director of the department of education or the
director's designee shall compile and provide to the work group
a list of, and the purposes for, the health care training
House File 835, p. 6
programs that school personnel are required to complete, as
well as any requirements school personnel must meet following
such training, in order be in compliance with state law or
administrative rule.
5. The work group shall do all of the following:
a. Identify which trainings can be best provided over the
internet, and how such training can be rotated on a five-year
basis for school personnel.
b. Develop a plan for a regular cycle of health care- related
training for school personnel review, with the goal of removing
or modifying training or training programs that are no longer
relevant, and identifying less costly and more efficient
options that still provide the appropriate level of training to
school personnel.
c. Standardize the process of establishing new training
requirements in state law or rule to manage stakeholder
expectations relating to the timeline for establishing the
requirements.
d. Create an ongoing review process to find efficiencies,
identify training options that better utilize time and
financial resources, and offer a continuous improvement model
for the system moving forward.
e. Study and make any recommended changes on rules adopted
by the state board of education under 281 IAC ch. 14, relating
to individual health plans prepared for students with various
health conditions.
f. Ensure a public comment process for patient advocacy
groups and parents to provide input on the recommendations of
the work group.
6. If the work group recommends elimination or significant
modification of certain health care- related training for
school personnel, the department of education shall identify
stakeholders who would potentially be affected by such
change, and shall invite representatives from organizations
representing such stakeholders to submit comments before or
at an upcoming work group meeting before the work group makes
final recommendations.
7. The department of education shall compile the work
group's findings and recommendations and shall submit the
House File 835, p. 7
compilation, including any proposal for legislation, in a
report to the general assembly, the governor, and the state
board of education by December 1, 2025.
PAT GRASSL
Speaker of the House
AMY SINCTOAIR
.• L• I
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that this bill originated in the House and
is known as House File 835, Ninety-first General Assembly.
Approved j v b1w / j I , 2025
KIM REYNOLDS
Governor