Relating to entities supported in whole or in part by public moneys, including the sale of public bonds, the duties and responsibilities of the directors and officers of school boards, school districts, the department of education, the department of health and human services, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, community colleges, institutions under the control of the state board of regents, area education agencies, election commissioners and children’s residential facilities, and the membership and voting units of county and city conference boards

DIVISION I —— BOND SALES. Current law provides that when public bonds are offered for sale, the official in charge of the bond issue shall give notice of the time and place of sale, the amount to be offered for sale, and any further information which the official deems pertinent by publishing an advertisement in a newspaper. The division modifies this provision to require the official in charge of the bond issue to give notice of the sale by publishing the time and place of sale, the amount to be offered for sale, and any additional information the official deems pertinent to the bond issue in at least one electronic or written publication with nationwide circulation that is recognized for providing information regarding the sale of public bonds or in a newspaper located in the county or a county contiguous to the place of sale.14 provides that, notwithstanding contrary provisions of Code chapter (authorization and sale of public bonds), a public body authorized to issue bonds or other obligations may elect to receive bids to purchase such bonds or other obligations by means of electronic communication, a proprietary bidding procedure, or by facsimile transmission to a location deemed appropriate by the governing body.3 (sealed and open bids) to the notwithstanding provision. DIVISION II —— SCHOOL BOARD AND OFFICERS —— DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES. Current law provides that individuals who either have a master’s degree or are making annual progress toward meeting the requirements for a teacher librarian endorsement issued by the board of educational examiners are considered to be in compliance with rules associated with media specialists or librarians. The division strikes these provisions.6 provides a process to fill vacancies occurring among the members of a school board. This process requires, among other things, the publication in a newspaper of notice stating that the board intends to fill the vacancy by appointment. The division authorizes notice to be provided by publication on the board’s internet site as well. The division strikes a provision requiring school boards to have rules regulating the loading and unloading of pupils from a school bus stopped on the highway during inclement weather. The division authorizes the board of directors of a school district and the superintendent, in certain specified circumstances, to use electronic signatures and electronic contracts pursuant to Code chapter 554D (electronic transactions) and facsimile signatures when entering into contracts to hire support personnel. Currently, school districts are prohibited from charging employees for the cost of registry checks. The bill provides that a school district may charge an employee for the cost of the registry checks, not to exceed the actual cost. The division strikes obsolete language relating to school employee registry checks. Current law requires the board of directors of each public school district to administer the pledge of allegiance in grades through each school day. The division modifies this provision to require each public school district to administer the pledge of allegiance in grades through each school day. The division authorizes the president of the board of directors of a school district, or the president’s designee, to enter into original contracts or electronic contracts pursuant to chapter 554D and sign, using an original, facsimile, or electronic signature, all school district payments drawn and authorize electronic funds transfers as provided by law. Current law requires the secretary and treasurer of a school district to execute to the school corporation a surety bond in an amount sufficient to cover current operations as determined by the board. Current law also requires the oath required of civil officers to be endorsed upon the bond. The division strikes the requirement that the oath required of civil officers be endorsed upon the bond. DIVISION III —— RESPONSIBILITIES AND REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO HEALTH. The division strikes requirements that school districts, community colleges, and institutions under the control of the state board of regents conduct an evaluation and assessment regarding implementation of an environmentally preferable cleaning policy and, unless the school districts, community colleges, or institutions under the control of the state board of regents opt out of compliance, to purchase only cleaning and maintenance products identified by the department of administrative services as being environmentally preferable or that meet nationally recognized standards. The division strikes the requirement that each school work toward a goal of having one school nurse for every 750 students, and instead authorizes a school district to have a school nurse to provide health care to students. The division strikes a provision requiring that every parent or guardian of a child registered for kindergarten or preschool be provided with a student vision card provided by the Iowa optometric association and approved by the department of education with a goal of every child receiving an eye examination by age seven. The division requires the department of education to convene and provide administrative support to a health care-related training for school personnel group. The bill requires the group to review and develop a plan to ensure that Iowa educators have the health care training necessary to perform their duties and to submit recommendations for delivery and implementation of training required under state law or rule. The bill specifies the members the group shall include. The bill requires the group to submit its findings and recommendations in a report to the general assembly, the governor, and the state board of education by December 1, 2023. DIVISION IV —— STATEWIDE SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING. Current law provides that if a school district is located in a county which has imposed a local sales and services tax for school infrastructure purposes prior to July 1, 2008, the board of directors of a school district is required to take action to adopt or amend a revenue purpose statement specifying the specific purposes for which the revenues received from the secure an advanced vision for education fund will be expended before expending or anticipating revenues to be received after the unextended term of the tax unless the school district elects to adopt a revenue purpose statement. The division strikes this provision.4 (borrowing authority for school districts) and that has not approved a revenue purpose statement to first use revenues to make timely and sufficient payment of principal and interest and premium, if applicable, on the outstanding bonds.1 (indebtedness of school corporations), except those activities related to a teacher’s or superintendent’s home or homes. The division also modifies the definition of “school infrastructure” for purposes of Code chapter 423F to include the construction, reconstruction, repair, demolition work, purchasing, or remodeling of schoolhouses, stadiums, gymnasiums, fieldhouses, and school bus garages, the procurement of schoolhouse construction sites, the making of site improvements, those activities for which other specified revenues may be spent, joint infrastructure projects with one or more school districts or one or more school districts and a community college, for which buildings or facilities are constructed or leased for the purpose of offering classes under a district-to-community college sharing agreement or concurrent enrollment program. Additionally, the division modifies the definition of “school infrastructure” for purposes of Code chapter 423F to remove requirements related to the adoption of a revenue purpose statement that is subject to the approval of the electors. Current law provides that bonds issued under Code chapter 423F on or after July 1, 2019, shall not be sold at a public or private sale without notice and hearing. Current law also provides that notice of the sale shall be published in a newspaper. The bill provides that this provision does not apply to the refinancing of bonds.5 (bonding) shall not affect the validity of any previously issued bonds or other evidences of indebtedness. Code chapter 423E sunsets on June 30, 2023. The division authorizes the board of directors of a school district to issue negotiable, interest-bearing school bonds, without election, and utilize tax receipts derived from the secure an advanced vision for education fund for principal and interest repayment pursuant to standards established in the division. The division authorizes school districts to enter into an agreement pursuant to chapter 28E with one or more cities, school districts, community colleges, and certain specified counties and area education agencies. The division also establishes how revenues from such agreements may be expended. DIVISION V —— COUNTY CONFERENCE BOARD. Current law provides that each county and each city having an assessor shall have a conference board. Current law also provides that in counties, the conference board shall consist of the mayors of all incorporated cities in the county whose property is assessed by the county assessor, one representative from the board of directors of each high school district of the county, who is a resident of the county, said board of directors appointing said representative for a one-year term and notifying the clerk of the conference board as to their representative, and members of the board of supervisors. The division modifies this provision to require that the conference board consist of the mayors or a designated member of a city council. The division also modifies this provision by replacing references to high school districts with references to school districts containing a high school. The division strikes the requirement that the board of directors of a high school district appoint a representative for a one-year term and notify the clerk of the conference board as to the identity of the representative. The division provides that, in any action taken by the conference board, if a city or a county contains only one school district containing a high school, the members of or the representative of the board of directors of the school district, as applicable, shall constitute one voting unit. DIVISION VI —— CHILDREN’S RESIDENTIAL CARE FACILITIES. The division provides that, for children requiring admission to a residential treatment facility, the residential treatment facility shall complete and provide to the child’s school district of residence the documentation necessary to seek Medicaid reimbursement for eligible services. DIVISION VII —— AREA EDUCATION AGENCIES. Current law requires area education agency (AEA) boards to give notice of a public hearing on the AEA’s proposed budget by publication on the AEA’s internet site and by publication in a newspaper. The division strikes the requirement that notice be published in a newspaper.36 (publication in a newspaper). Current law provides that a member of an AEA board of directors shall be an elector and a resident of the director district and may be a member of a local school district board of directors but cannot be a school district employee. The bill alters the school-district-employee prohibition by allowing a member of an AEA board to be employed by the school district as a licensed substitute teacher. DIVISION VIII —— ELECTION COMMISSIONERS. The division provides that, for purposes of special elections, nothing shall deny a commissioner who is responsible for conducting the election the discretionary authority to approve holding a special election on the same date as another election, even though the two elections may be defined as being in conflict, if the commissioner concludes that to do so will cause no undue difficulties.