A bill for an act relating to mandatory reporting to the board of educational examiners of licensed school employees who engage in grooming behavior toward students.

This bill amends Iowa law to clarify the definition of "grooming behavior" by licensed school employees toward students. It specifies that grooming behavior includes "building trust and emotional connections with a student with the intent to exploit such student," replacing the previous definition focused on "enticing or entrap[ing] a student to engage in a sex act." The change directly affects school employees (like teachers and staff) who may engage in such behavior, as well as school administrators required to report it to the Board of Educational Examiners. Current mandatory reporting rules for misconduct involving students remain in place, but this bill refines the specific conduct that triggers those reporting obligations.