House File 189 amends Section 280.13 of the Iowa Code to establish new requirements for organizations sponsoring interscholastic athletic contests and competitions. The bill specifies that such organizations must be registered with the Department of Education, file financial statements, and comply with state board rules. It introduces a definition of "organization" that includes specific criteria, such as monitoring student participation and calculating enrollment for classification purposes. Additionally, it stipulates that from the effective date of the Act until June 30, 2027, organizations cannot modify existing football classifications based on student participation numbers.

The bill also introduces a new section, 280.13D, which allows students enrolled in nonpublic schools to participate in extracurricular interscholastic athletic contests provided by public schools under certain conditions. These conditions include that the contest has not been offered by the nonpublic school in the past two years and that no agreements exist with other schools for participation. Furthermore, it establishes that any fees for participation must be paid by the student or their guardian, and these students must adhere to the same conduct requirements as public school students. The effective date for the amendment to Section 280.13 is set for August 1, 2025, while the new section 280.13D takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Statutes affected:
Reprinted: 280.13
Enrolled: 280.13, 280.13A