Iowa School Psychologists Association
4-12
Legislative Update
Education Spending Bill Ready For Senate Consideration
The Senate Education Appropriations Subcommittee is ready to consider the House approved spending plan for the 2020 fiscal year.
Included in the bill, House File 758, is a new appropriation of $3 million for the establishment of a Children’s Mental Health School Based Training and Support Program.
Of the appropriation, $1.4 is allocated to the area education agencies to provide mental health awareness training for educators and school personnel. $1,400,000 is allocated to the area education agencies in the manner determined by the area education agencies to be used to identify a range of approaches to best meet the mental health needs of students and to strengthen community support for students. Finally $200,000 is allocated to the area education agencies to create a clearinghouse of mental health resources for use by schools and community providers.
Bill of interest:
SF 547 (formerly SF 372) ESGs (A) – This bill provides education savings grants for pupils attending accredited nonpublic schools or specified public schools and establishes an education savings grant fund.
Appropriations subcommittee: Breitbach, Celsi and Kraayenbrink.
SF 479 (formerly SSB 1197 – Children’s Mental Health (F) – The bill relates to mental health and disability services including the establishment of a children’s behavioral health system and a children’s behavioral health system state board, and requires certain children’s behavioral health core services be provided.
On Senate debate calendar
SF 342 – Alcohol Overdose Reporting Protection (F) – The bill provides that a person under the age of 21 shall not be charged or prosecuted for public intoxication, possession of alcohol under the legal age, use of a driver’s license by an underage person to obtain alcohol, or possession of an open container in a motor vehicle, if the person in good faith sought emergency assistance for the person or another person due to an alcohol overdose or because the person or other person is a victim of assault, sexual abuse, or human trafficking.
On Senate Debate Calendar
HF 758 (formerly HSB 248) – Education Appropriations (M) – Included in this 30-page bill is a new appropriation of $3 million for training teachers and educators to detect potential mental health issues in students and to determine follow-up actions.
Approved by the House 58-38
HF 690 (formerly HSB 206) – Children’s Mental Health (F) – The bill establishes a children’s behavioral health system and a children’s behavioral health system state board, and requires certain children’s behavioral health core services be provided. The bill also includes the establishment of a single statewide 24-hour mental health crisis telephone hotline.
Passed the House 83-14.
HF 684 (formerly HSB 175) – Alcohol Overdose Reporting Protection (F) – The bill provides that a person under the age of 21 shall not be charged or prosecuted for public intoxication, possession of alcohol under the legal age, use of a driver’s license by an underage person to obtain alcohol, or possession of an open container in a motor vehicle, if the person in good faith sought emergency assistance for the person or another person due to an alcohol overdose or because the person or other person is a victim of assault, sexual abuse, or human trafficking.
On House debate calendar
HF 673 (formerly HF 349) – School Radon Testing (M) – This bill requires the board of directors of each public school district to have a short-term test for radon gas performed at each attendance center under its control at least once by July 1, 2022, and at least once every five years thereafter, and following new construction of an attendance center or additions, renovations, or repairs to an attendance center. If the results of such a test are at or above four picocuries per liter, the bill requires the board to have a second short-term test performed at the attendance center within 90 days. If the results of a second test are at or above four picocuries per liter, the bill requires the board of directors of the public school district to retain a person credentialed to perform radon abatement measures to develop a radon mitigation plan within 90 days. The radon mitigation plan must be implemented within one year.
On House debate calendar
HF 598 (formerly HF 197) – Sibling Class Assignments (M) – The bill allows the parents or guardians to request that twins (or any other level of multiples) be placed in the same classroom or different classrooms. Unless the principal determines that the requested placement would create a classroom disruption, the request would be honored.
After the first grading period of the school year the principal and the students teachers can determine that the placement was disruptive and the students can be placed in different classes.
Passed the House 91-5. On Senate debate calendar.