Education (Student Health)

in committee · Iowa · House Apr 3, 2025

HF 212: A bill for an act relating to meals, food, and beverages provided to students enrolled in school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools, and including applicability provisions.

HF 212 requires school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools offering breakfast or lunch programs to follow specific food standards. It mandates using natural fats and oils (like butter, olive oil, or coconut oil) instead of margarine in school meals and bans the use of certain ingredients - including artificial dyes (like blue dye 1 and red dye 40), brominated vegetable oil, and margarine - in meals served to students. The bill also prohibits selling beverages containing these banned ingredients during school functions unless sold off-site or after 30 minutes past the school day’s end. These rules apply to all schools with meal programs starting July 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates healthier school meals (natural fats, bans harmful additives) to improve student nutrition, directly enhancing educational environment and student well-being.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health

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in committee · Iowa · House May 12, 2025

HF 883: A bill for an act providing for access to feminine hygiene products in public school restrooms and making an appropriation.

House File 883 requires public school districts to provide free feminine hygiene products, such as sanitary napkins and tampons, to female students in grades six through twelve. These products must be accessible in women's restrooms within school buildings and refilled regularly. The bill appropriates state funds to the Department of Education from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2028, to reimburse school districts for the full cost of compliance. After this period, school districts will cover these costs using state school foundation aid.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly appropriates state funds (2025-2028) to reimburse school districts for feminine hygiene products, directly funding a public service through state budget allocation.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires free feminine hygiene products in school restrooms for grades 6-12, ensuring student access and well-being, with state funding for implementation.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill funds free feminine hygiene products in schools, improving access to essential health supplies for students, aligning with public health access goals through state appropriation.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 28, 2025

SF 102: A bill for an act relating to public school personnel training concerning mental health.

SF 102 requires all licensed K-12 school staff in Iowa with regular student contact to complete two annual, evidence-based mental health trainings by July 1, 2026. It mandates separate training on educator mental wellness (to occur within the first 60 days of the school year) and student social-emotional wellness with mental health symptom identification (to occur in January or February). Both trainings must follow nationally recognized best practices, and the state board of education will set qualifications for trainers. This bill directly affects school personnel holding licenses or certifications from Iowa's board of educational examiners.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates evidence-based mental health training for K-12 staff, supporting educator wellness and student mental health programs per best practices.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates evidence-based mental health training for school staff, directly advancing mental health services in schools per topic description.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health Teachers

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 28, 2025

SF 86: A bill for an act authorizing the boards of directors of school districts to appoint student liaisons to the boards.

This bill requires Iowa school boards to establish a process for appointing student liaisons who serve as nonvoting representatives at board meetings. School districts must create an application and selection process, and if applicants meet the criteria, the board must appoint at least one student to this role. The student liaison attends regular board and committee meetings (but not discipline-related sessions), accesses nonconfidential materials, and advocates for student perspectives on education policies. The Department of Education must provide school districts with a model application and selection process to guide implementation.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires school boards to appoint student liaisons to advocate student perspectives in education policy, enhancing student voice in school governance.92% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety Student Health

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 28, 2025

SF 58: A bill for an act relating to school lunch and breakfast programs provided by school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools, making appropriations, and including effective date provisions.

This bill requires Iowa school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to provide free breakfast and lunch programs to all students whose families earn at or below 300% of the federal poverty level starting July 2025, increasing to 400% for 2026-2027, and becoming universal (no income limit) beginning July 2027. It appropriates state funds to cover costs not covered by federal programs, ensuring meals meet nutrition standards. The bill directly affects all eligible schools and their students, expanding access to free meals while mandating compliance with federal and state nutrition rules. The state board of education must adopt rules to administer these provisions, effective upon enactment.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates state funds to cover school meal program costs, directly increasing public service funding under budget management.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAppropriates state funds for universal school meals, expanding student access to nutrition programs in K-12 schools, directly supporting educational access and well-being.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds universal school meals meeting nutrition standards, supporting public health nutrition programs under healthcare topic.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 11, 2026

HF 263: A bill for an act relating to physical activity requirements applicable to students enrolled in public schools and accredited nonpublic schools.

HF 263 requires all physically able students in kindergarten through fifth grade at Iowa public and accredited nonpublic schools to engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily, separate from required physical education classes. Schools must ensure this activity occurs unless a student is suspended, expelled, absent (including due to illness), or circumstances like inclement weather or early dismissal prevent it. The bill explicitly prohibits using physical education class to fulfill this 30-minute daily activity requirement. It applies directly to K-5 students and school staff responsible for implementing the activity schedule.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates daily physical activity for K-5 students, enhancing student health programs within schools as part of educational requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 12, 2025

HF 333: A bill for an act providing for access to feminine hygiene products in public school restrooms and making an appropriation.

HF 333 requires Iowa public school districts to provide free feminine hygiene products (such as tampons and sanitary pads) in at least half of the restrooms serving students in grades 6-12, with regular refilling. The bill applies directly to all Iowa public schools educating middle and high school students. It appropriates state funds from 2025-2028 to reimburse school districts for the full cost of compliance, with the Department of Education managing the reimbursement process. The funding ends June 30, 2028, after which schools would use other state aid for ongoing costs.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly appropriates state funds (2025-2028) to reimburse schools for feminine hygiene products, directly funding a public service.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides state-funded access to feminine hygiene products in school restrooms, enhancing student health and educational access for middle/high school students.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 12, 2025

SF 34: A bill for an act relating to physical activity requirements applicable to students in kindergarten through grade five.

This bill requires Iowa public schools to provide physically able kindergarten through grade five students with 30 consecutive minutes of daily physical activity, separate from the standard physical education curriculum. Schools must ensure this activity occurs unless specific exceptions apply, such as student safety risks, inclement weather requiring indoor relocation, early school dismissal, or student absence due to illness. The requirement does not apply to suspended or expelled students. This policy directly affects K-5 students and school district implementation practices.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates daily physical activity for K-5 students within school curricula, enhancing student health programs without restricting existing requirements.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Student Health

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 18, 2025

HF 262: A bill for an act providing for a teacher minimum salary budget adjustment for school budget years beginning July 1, 2025, and including effective date provisions.

HF 262 creates a budget adjustment for Iowa school districts that face higher actual costs than their current teacher salary funding covers. Specifically, districts would receive state funds if their costs (including retirement contributions and taxes) exceed existing teacher salary supplements for roles like classroom teachers, counselors, nurses, and teacher leadership positions. Districts must formally request this adjustment annually and spend the funds solely on teacher salaries within the same year. The bill aims to help districts comply with minimum salary requirements without creating budget shortfalls.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill provides state funds to school districts for teacher salary costs (including retirement/taxes), increasing budget allocation for education. Directly funds essential public services per topic description.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides state funds to cover teacher salary costs exceeding current supplements, directly supporting educator compensation and school budgets.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentFunds teacher salary increases for school districts, directly advancing wage standards for education workers per bill's salary-focused budget adjustment.92% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget School Funding Student Health Teachers

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in committee · Iowa · House Mar 5, 2025

HSB 278: A bill for an act relating to physical education requirements for students enrolled in grades seven through twelve in school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools.

HB 278 requires all public school students in grades 7-12 (including charter and innovation zone schools) in Iowa to meet specific physical education (PE) requirements. Male students must complete weightlifting (3 days/week), cardiovascular training (1 day/week), and one extracurricular activity annually, while female students must participate in one extracurricular activity per year. Students may be excused with a physician's note for medical reasons or a parent's written request for non-medical reasons. The bill applies to all public school districts and sets new graduation-level PE standards, replacing previous requirements.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates specific physical education curriculum requirements for grades 7-12, strengthening K-12 educational standards through structured program implementation.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health

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