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House
File
884
-
Reprinted
HOUSE
FILE
884
BY
COMMITTEE
ON
EDUCATION
(SUCCESSOR
TO
HF
334)
(As
Amended
and
Passed
by
the
House
March
26,
2025
)
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
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884
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H.F.
884
Section
1.
Section
256E.7,
subsection
1,
Code
2025,
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
279.87.
5
Sec.
2.
Section
256F.4,
Code
2025,
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
279.87.
11
Sec.
3.
NEW
SECTION
.
279.87
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.
a.
Subject
to
paragraph
“b”
,
the
board
of
directors
of
18
a
school
district
may
establish
qualifications,
credentialing,
19
and
other
requirements
related
to
chaplains
who
are
employed
or
20
engaged
pursuant
to
this
section.
21
b.
The
board
of
directors
of
a
school
district
shall
not
22
require
a
chaplain
employed
or
engaged
under
this
section
to
23
have
a
license,
endorsement,
certification,
authorization,
or
24
statement
of
recognition
issued
by
the
board
of
educational
25
examiners.
26
3.
The
procedure
for
background
investigations
and
27
termination
established
in
section
279.69
shall
apply
to
28
chaplains
employed
or
engaged
under
this
section.
29
4.
The
board
of
directors
of
a
school
district
shall
not
do
30
any
of
the
following:
31
a.
Require
or
coerce
a
student
to
utilize
the
support,
32
services,
or
programs
provided
by
a
chaplain
who
is
employed
33
or
engaged
by
the
board
of
directors
of
the
school
district
34
pursuant
to
this
section.
35
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H.F.
884
b.
Employ
or
engage
a
chaplain
in
lieu
of
a
school
counselor
1
or
a
qualified
guidance
counselor
licensed
by
the
board
of
2
educational
examiners
under
chapter
256,
subchapter
VII,
part
3
3.
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