House File 73 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE 73
BY WHEELER and ABDUL-SAMAD
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to firearm education in schools, including
2 requiring the director of the department of education to
3 develop and distribute age-appropriate model programs for
4 firearm safety instruction and modifying provisions related
5 to the required instruction in public schools and accredited
6 nonpublic schools in grades six through twelve.
7 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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H.F. 73
1 Section 1. Section 256.9, Code 2023, is amended by adding
2 the following new subsection:
3 NEW SUBSECTION. 66. a. By July 1, 2024, develop and
4 distribute to all school districts an age-appropriate model
5 program for firearm safety instruction for pupils enrolled
6 in kindergarten through grade twelve. The model program for
7 pupils enrolled in kindergarten through grade five shall be
8 based on the eddie eagle gunsafe program developed by the
9 national rifle association. The model program for pupils
10 enrolled in grades six through twelve shall be based on
11 the hunter education course developed by the national rifle
12 association.
13 b. School districts are encouraged to implement the model
14 program for pupils enrolled in kindergarten through grade five
15 developed pursuant to paragraph “a”.
16 Sec. 2. Section 256.11, Code 2023, is amended by adding the
17 following new subsection:
18 NEW SUBSECTION. 3A. Commencing with the school year
19 beginning July 1, 2024, hunter education based on the model
20 program developed pursuant to section 256.9, subsection 66,
21 paragraph “a”, shall be taught in grade six.
22 Sec. 3. Section 256.11, subsection 4, Code 2023, is amended
23 to read as follows:
24 4. The following shall be taught in grades seven and
25 eight: English-language arts; social studies; mathematics;
26 science; health; age-appropriate and research-based human
27 growth and development; career exploration and development;
28 physical education; music; and visual art; and, commencing
29 with the school year beginning July 1, 2024, hunter education.
30 Computer science instruction incorporating the standards
31 established under section 256.7, subsection 26, paragraph “a”,
32 subparagraph (4), shall be offered in at least one grade level
33 commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 2023. Career
34 exploration and development shall be designed so that students
35 are appropriately prepared to create an individual career
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H.F. 73
1 and academic plan pursuant to section 279.61, incorporate
2 foundational career and technical education concepts aligned
3 with the six career and technical education service areas
4 as defined in subsection 5, paragraph “h”, and incorporate
5 relevant twenty-first century skills. The health curriculum
6 shall include age-appropriate and research-based information
7 regarding the characteristics of sexually transmitted diseases,
8 including HPV and the availability of a vaccine to prevent
9 HPV, and acquired immune deficiency syndrome. The state board
10 as part of accreditation standards shall adopt curriculum
11 definitions for implementing the program in grades seven
12 and eight. However, this subsection shall not apply to the
13 teaching of career exploration and development in nonpublic
14 schools. Hunter education instruction shall be based on
15 the model program developed pursuant to section 256.9,
16 subsection 66, paragraph “a”. For purposes of this section,
17 “age-appropriate”, “HPV”, and “research-based” mean the same as
18 defined in section 279.50.
19 Sec. 4. Section 256.11, subsection 5, Code 2023, is amended
20 by adding the following new paragraph:
21 NEW PARAGRAPH. m. One-half unit of hunter education
22 commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 2024. The
23 one-half unit of hunter education shall be based on the model
24 program developed pursuant to section 256.9, subsection 66,
25 paragraph “a”.
26 EXPLANATION
27 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
28 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
29 This bill relates to firearm education in schools, including
30 requiring the director of the department of education to
31 develop and distribute age-appropriate model programs for
32 firearm safety instruction and modifying provisions related
33 to the required instruction in public schools and accredited
34 nonpublic schools in grades 6 through 12.
35 The bill requires the director of the department to develop
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H.F. 73
1 an age-appropriate model program for firearm safety instruction
2 by July 1, 2024, for pupils enrolled in kindergarten through
3 grade 12, and distribute the model program to all school
4 districts. The bill also requires the model program for pupils
5 enrolled in kindergarten through grade five to be based on
6 the eddie eagle gunsafe program developed by the national
7 rifle association. The bill encourages school districts to
8 implement such a model program. The bill requires the model
9 program for pupils enrolled in grades 6 through 12 to be based
10 on the hunter education course developed by the national rifle
11 association.
12 The bill provides that, commencing with the school year
13 beginning July 1, 2024, the model program based on the hunter
14 education course for pupils enrolled in grades 6 through 12
15 shall be taught in public schools and accredited nonpublic
16 schools.
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Statutes affected: Introduced: 256.9, 256.11, 256.7