A bill for an act relating to employees of the department of corrections and including applicability provisions.

SF 30 designates nonsupervisory Iowa Department of Corrections employees with ongoing direct inmate contact as "public safety employees" for collective bargaining under state law. It requires the department to establish mandatory de-escalation training, uniform safety protocols at correctional facilities, and paid leave policies (5-30 days for trauma exposure, up to 90 days for hostages). The bill also changes health insurance rules so the state must cover continuation costs for surviving spouses and children of affected employees, rather than requiring them to pay. Additionally, it prohibits the department from offering contract employees better pay or benefits than comparable state employees performing similar work.