Relating to firearm, hunting, and wildlife instruction provided to students enrolled in grades six through eight in school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools, and including applicability provisions

This bill relates to firearm, hunting, and wildlife instruction provided to students enrolled in grades six through eight in school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools. The bill requires the director of the department of natural resources to develop, in consultation with the department of public safety, and distribute to school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools, an age-appropriate model program for students enrolled in grades six through eight that includes instruction related to firearm safety, handling, and storage; Iowa hunting laws and regulations; wildlife conservation and ethical hunting practices; and emergency preparedness, outdoor survival skills, and first aid. The director of the department of natural resources is also required to issue a certificate of completion of a hunter education course to a student who completes a course that uses the model program. The bill establishes annual reporting requirements and review requirements related to the model program. The bill requires the department of public safety to cooperate with the director of the department of natural resources in the development of the model program. The bill also requires the department of public safety to deem a student’s completion of the model program as a successful completion of approved firearm safety. The bill requires the director of the department of natural resources, in consultation with the department of public safety, to maintain a database of students who have obtained a hunter education certificate, or have been deemed by the department of public safety to have successfully completed approved firearm safety training, as a result of completing the model program. The bill provides that, in grades six through eight, school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools are required to offer or make available as part of the physical education, health, or science instruction, or as an extracurricular activity, the model program. The practical components of such curricula or extracurricular activity, including hands-on firearm safety demonstrations, must be conducted under controlled conditions with appropriate supervision and safety protocols. The bill provides that a school shall not allow a student to participate in the curricula or extracurricular activity unless the student’s parent or guardian submits to the principal of the student’s school written consent for the student to participate. Additionally, the bill provides that if the school offers or makes available the model program as part of the physical education, health, or science curricula, the school shall not require a student to participate in such curricula if the student’s parent or guardian submits to the principal of the student’s school a written request for the student to be excused from participation. These provisions apply to school years beginning on or after July 1, 2026. The bill provides that a school employee or contractor providing instruction related to the model program must have successfully completed a hunter education course and been issued a certificate of completion and must have successfully completed approved firearm safety training. This provision applies to school years beginning on or after July 1, 2026. The bill requires schools to provide information to the department of natural resources related to the number of students who complete the curricula or extracurricular activity. This provision applies to school years beginning on or after July 1, 2026.3.16.2. The inclusion of this specification is intended to reinstate the requirement of political subdivisions to comply with any state mandates included in the bill.