Bills › 90th General Assembly
Relating to school security, including the use of school security personnel by school districts and authorizing school employees to be issued professional permits to carry weapons, and including effective date provisions
Sponsored by the House Public Safety Committee
Topics:K–12 educationFirearmsPublic safety & emergenciesSchool safety
Same legislation: HSB 675
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedFebruary 7, 2024
- Done: SubcommitteeFebruary 7, 2024
- Done: House committeeFebruary 14, 2024
- Done: Passes the HouseFebruary 28, 202461–34
- Done: Senate committeeMarch 14, 2024
- Done: Passes the SenateApril 10, 202430–14
- Done: To the GovernorApril 19, 2024
- Done: Signed into lawApril 19, 2024
Signed into law What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
AI summary Large school districts must hire security officers for every school building unless their board votes against it, while smaller districts are encouraged to do the same. The state will provide grants to help these districts pay for security staff. Additionally, school employees can get special permits to carry weapons if they complete specific safety and legal training.1
Read the official explanation
This bill relates to school security, including by establishing the school security personnel grant program within the department of education, and authorizing school employees to be issued professional permits to carry weapons. The bill requires all school districts with a total enrollment of at least 8,000 students to employ, or retain the services of, at least one private school security officer or school resource officer to guard each attendance center where students enrolled in grades through regularly attend classes, unless a majority of the members of the board of directors of the school district vote to not employ or retain a private school security officer or a school resource officer. The bill encourages all school districts with a total enrollment of less than 8,000 students to employ, or retain the services of, at least one private school security officer or school resource officer to guard each attendance center where students enrolled in grades through regularly attend classes. The bill requires the department of education to develop and administer a school security personnel grant program to provide annual grants to match moneys provided by such school districts to allow the school districts to offset costs associated with employing, or retaining the services of, a private school security officer or school resource officer. The bill provides that the amount of an annual grant provided by the department to a school district that has provided matching moneys pursuant to this provision shall not exceed $50,000. The bill establishes a school security personnel grant program fund in the state treasury to be administered by the department.6 (professional permit to carry weapons). The bill requires a private school security officer employed or retained by the board of directors of a school district to participate in the annual live scenario training and quarterly live firearm training sessions described below. The bill defines “private security business” as a business of furnishing, for hire or reward, guards, watch personnel, armored car personnel, patrol personnel, or other persons to protect persons or property, to prevent the unlawful taking of goods and merchandise, or to prevent the misappropriation or concealment of goods, merchandise, money, securities, or other valuable documents or papers, and includes an individual who for hire patrols, watches, or guards a residential, industrial, or business property or district.1A. The bill provides that a person may be issued a permit to carry weapons if the person is a school employee of a school district, a private school, or an institution of higher education.8. A person issued a permit to carry weapons is required to receive one-time, in-person legal training, including training on qualified immunity, annual emergency medical training, and annual communication training that is approved by the department of public safety. The department of public safety is required to implement annual live scenario training and quarterly live firearm training for school employees. The bill provides that a school employee issued a professional permit to carry by the department of public safety after completing department of public safety-approved training, and the school district that employs the school employee, is entitled to qualified immunity from criminal or civil liability for all damages incurred pursuant to the application of reasonable force at the place of employment. The bill provides that the identity of a person who has been issued a permit pursuant to this provision is confidential and shall not be a public record subject to disclosure. The bill provides that a school employee shall not be required, as a condition of employment, to obtain a permit.
Changed since by amendments S-5153, H-8089; see Amendments.
Senate subcommittee
Named March 4, 2024. On March 6, 2024 it recommended passage. [].
Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part
14 written public comments to its subcommittee: March 6, 2024 (2), February 12, 2024 (12) · on the Legislature’s site
Fiscal note
Can’t be estimated Compare with other bills
AI summary This bill requires school districts with 8,000 or more students to employ security officers at certain attendance centers and allows authorized school employees to carry firearms on campus. The Department of Public Safety faces an estimated cost of $600,000 and 8.0 new full-time equivalent positions, though the cost of a new record management system cannot be determined at this time. For the 11 eligible school districts, the maximum estimated cost to comply with the security officer requirement is approximately $2.5 million.3
Read the fiscal note
Description
House File 2586 creates new provisions related to school security. The Bill requires school districts with 8,000 or more students to employ a private school security officer (PSSO) or school resource officer (SRO) at each attendance center where students in grades 9, 10, 11, or 12 regularly attend classes. The Bill also authorizes school employees to be issued professional permits to carry firearms on school property. The Bill requires PSSOs and school employees who are licensed to carry a firearm on school property under this Bill to participate in annual live scenario training and quarterly live firearms training provided by the Department of Public Safety (DPS). Sections 2 and 3 of the Bill take effect upon enactment.
Background
Currently, school districts are not required to employ a PSSO or SRO. School districts that employ an SRO typically have agreements to split costs with local cities and/or counties. The details of these agreements vary, but on average, districts pay 58.8% of the cost. Total costs for an SRO, prior to being split with local authorities, generally range from $95,000 to $115,000, including salary, benefits, and equipment.
Iowa Code section 724.4B allows school districts to authorize individuals to carry weapons on school district grounds. However, no school currently authorizes employees to carry firearms on campus. Current law does not require specific permits or training for a district to authorize an individual to carry weapons.
In Ohio, where a similar program has been implemented, 61 school systems have armed staff. The state of Ohio’s population is slightly less than three times as large as Iowa’s, and Ohio has roughly double the number of school districts. The state of Ohio employs approximately 20 instructors to train individuals at the 61 school systems.
Assumptions
- There are 11 school districts with 8,000 or more students that will be required to employ at least one PSSO or SRO at qualified attendance centers.
- The average cost to school districts for employing an SRO, after sharing costs with local cities or counties, is estimated at $63,000.
- The number of school districts currently employing SROs is unknown.
- The DPS will need to hire 2.0 new full-time equivalent (FTE) positions for Firearm Instructors to host the required live training sessions for PSSOs under this Bill. The projected cost of these positions is $150,000.
- Assuming the number of school districts that may use this program will be similar to the number in Ohio, the DPS estimates that approximately 35 school districts may choose to authorize school employees to be issued professional permits.
- Based on the ratio of instructors to school districts in Ohio, the DPS will need to hire 6.0 new FTE positions to host the required live training sessions for school employees who have been authorized to receive professional permits under this Bill. This includes 5.0 FTE positions for Firearms Instructors, who will provide the required training, and 1.0 FTE position for Support Staff, who will provide administrative support for the program. The cost for these positions is estimated to be approximately $450,000.
- The DPS will need to develop a new record management system to issue permits and track training requirements. The cost of such a system will depend on how the professional permit program is organized and operated.
Fiscal Impact
The increased costs to the DPS are estimated to be $600,000 and 8.0 new FTE positions to support the training for PSSOs and school employees who have been authorized to receive professional permits. The DPS will also need to develop and implement a new record management system. The cost of this system will depend on how the professional permit program is implemented and cannot be determined at this time.
The fiscal impact to school districts with 8,000 or more students at qualified attendance centers is unknown due to a lack of information regarding which school districts currently employ SROs. There are 11 school districts with 8,000 or more students, among which there are 40 qualified attendance centers that will be required to employ at least one PSSO or SRO. The maximum estimated cost to comply with this requirement is approximately $2.5 million across all 11 eligible districts. Districts in full compliance will not incur additional costs. Figure 1 — Maximum School Security Compliance Cost for Districts with 8,000+ Students
Sources
- Iowa Association of School Boards
- Department of Public Safety
- Legislative Services Agency
- Final Fiscal Note — School Safety and Security · May 1, 2024
- School Safety and Security · April 12, 2024
- School Safety and Security · March 6, 2024
- School Safety and Security · February 27, 2024
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90th General Assembly