The bill establishes a new framework for addressing student abuse by school employees in Iowa, introducing a series of definitions and procedures for investigating such allegations. It defines key terms such as "student abuse," "school employee," and outlines the responsibilities of the Department of Health and Human Services in investigating reports of abuse. The bill mandates that upon receiving a report of alleged student abuse, the department must notify the relevant school authorities and the Board of Educational Examiners, and requires that the implicated school employee be placed on administrative leave during the investigation. The department is also tasked with completing investigations within a specified timeframe and submitting written reports to the appropriate school authorities.

Additionally, the bill amends existing laws to ensure compliance with the new investigation procedures and mandates the termination of a school employee's employment if the investigation concludes that they committed student abuse. It also includes provisions for the Department of Education to adopt rules and a model policy for handling these investigations. Notably, the bill removes previous language regarding violations of education department rules and replaces it with a focus on student abuse as defined in the new section.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 232.68, 232.71B, 256.146
Reprinted: 280.21, 232E.2