Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

House File 503 - Introduced
                                  HOUSE FILE 503
                                  BY GOBBLE
                            A BILL FOR
An Act establishing a school climate and bullying prevention
  work group.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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                                H.F. 503
    Section 1. SCHOOL CLIMATE AND BULLYING PREVENTION WORK
 GROUP.
    1. The department of education shall convene a
 public-private work group of representatives of state and local
 agencies, citizens, community groups, and organizations who
 have experience and expertise in the areas of antibullying
 education, research, and training. The work group, after
 reviewing existing research, data, and strategies, shall
 provide recommendations to the department regarding best
 practices, training, resources, additional research needs,
 data collection, changes to state law and administrative
 rules, and any other matters to enhance statewide school
 climate improvement and bullying prevention, awareness, and
 intervention.
    2. The membership of the work group shall include but not
 be limited to the following, to be appointed by the director
 of the department of education:
    a. At least three Iowans who are experts in research-based
 antibullying curricula or programs.
    b. A public or nonpublic high school student.
    c. A parent of a student enrolled in a public elementary or
 secondary school on a full-time basis.
    d. A parent of a student enrolled in a nonpublic elementary
 or secondary school on a full-time basis.
    e. A member from nominees submitted by the school
 administrators of Iowa.
    f. A member from nominees submitted by the Iowa association
 of school boards.
    g. A member from nominees submitted by the Iowa state
 education association.
    h. Representatives from any organizations representing
 other relevant public or nonpublic school professionals.
    i. A representative from a statewide organization that
 provides research-based training on bullying for school
 professionals.
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                                         H.F. 503
    j. A representative from at least one statewide
 organization with at least five years’ experience in advocating
 on bullying prevention based on research-based best practices.
    k. A representative for children placed in foster care.
    l. A representative of school counselors.
    m. A member from nominees submitted by the Iowa parent
 teacher association.
    n. A representative of Iowa safe schools.
    3. When making appointments to the work group, the director
 shall ensure that public, nonpublic, urban, and rural schools
 are adequately represented by the membership of the work group.
    4. The work group shall also include two ex officio members
 of each house of the general assembly. One member each shall
 be selected by the majority leader of the senate and by the
 minority leader of the senate, and one member each shall be
 selected by the speaker of the house of representatives and by
 the minority leader of the house of representatives. Members
 of the general assembly shall serve for terms as provided in
 section 69.16B and shall be entitled to receive per diem and
 necessary travel and actual expenses pursuant to section 2.10,
 subsection 5, while carrying out their official duties as
 members of the work group.
    5. The department shall convene the work group by October
 1, 2021. The work group shall submit its findings and
 recommendations in a final report to the department and the
 general assembly by December 17, 2022.
                            EXPLANATION
         The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
          the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
    This bill requires the department of education to convene
 a public-private work group of representatives of state and
 local agencies, citizens, community groups, and organizations
 who have experience and expertise in the areas of antibullying
 education, research, and training. The work group, after
 reviewing existing research, data, and strategies, shall
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                                H.F. 503
 provide recommendations to the department regarding matters
 to enhance statewide school climate improvement and bullying
 prevention, awareness, and intervention. The bill provides for
 membership of the work group to be appointed by the director of
 the department. When making appointments to the work group,
 the director must ensure that public, nonpublic, urban, and
 rural schools are adequately represented by the membership
 of the work group. The work group shall also include ex
 officio legislative members. The department must convene the
 work group by October 1, 2021. The work group must submit
 its findings and recommendations in a final report to the
 department and the general assembly by December 17, 2022.
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