Bills › 91st General Assembly
Relating to elective social studies courses emphasizing religious scripture that school districts may offer and teach
Sponsored by Sen. Doug Campbell (R), Sen. Lynn Evans (R), Sen. Dennis Guth (R), Sen. Sandy Salmon (R)
Topics:K–12 education
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedJanuary 27, 2025
- Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 28, 2025
- Done: Senate committeeMarch 4, 2025
- Next: Passes the Senate
- Next: House committeeFunnel: by March 20, 2026
- Next: Passes the House
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Became SF 510 → Its progress continues under the new number. Go to SF 510 What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
This bill directs the state board of education to adopt rules establishing course standards for elective social studies courses on the Hebrew Scriptures or the Old or New Testament of the Bible. The bill authorizes a school district to offer and teach such a course to students in grades through if the district’s school improvement advisory committee recommends, and the board of directors of the school district approves, the course. The purpose of the course must be to provide students with knowledge of biblical content, characters, poetry, and narratives that are prerequisites to understanding contemporary society and culture, and to familiarize students with the contents, history, literary style and structure, and influence of the Hebrew Scriptures or the Old or New Testament of the Bible.
Read the full explanation
The state board’s rules must include practitioner preparation and professional development requirements for practitioners employed by a school district to teach such a course. Under the bill, the state board and school districts are prohibited from violating any provision of law in complying with the provisions of the bill. A course offered under the bill is subject to federal and state guidelines regarding religious neutrality, and shall recognize and accommodate the diverse religious views, traditions, and the perspectives of students enrolled in the school district. Such a course shall not endorse, favor, promote, or disfavor, or be hostile toward, any particular religion, faith, or nonreligious perspective. If a school improvement advisory committee recommends such a course, the school board must consider the recommendation. To offer and teach such a course, the school board must approve the recommendation by majority vote of its membership. A student enrolled in such a course shall not be required to use a specific translation as the sole text for the Hebrew Scriptures or the Old or New Testament of the Bible. A school improvement advisory committee or the principal of a school offering such a course may authorize the display of historic artifacts, monuments, symbols, and texts, including religious materials, in conjunction with the course if such display is appropriate to the overall educational purpose of the course and does not require a child to read religious books contrary to the wishes of the child’s parent or guardian. Under current law, religious text books such as the Bible, the Torah, and the Koran shall not be excluded from any public school.
From the explanation printed with the bill as introduced, written by the Legislative Services Agency. Amendments adopted later aren’t reflected. Full bill text
Senate subcommittee
Named January 28, 2025. On February 13, 2025 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
Iowa Code it changes
Creates§279.50B
Read from the bill as introduced. Each links to every bill touching that chapter of the Iowa Code. How the Code works
Lobbying
8 for · 9 against · 5 undecided · Who →
Family tree
Where this legislation came from and where it went: earlier tries, the versions it moved through this Assembly, and later bills built on it.
Earlier and later bills are matched by wording or an identical title; check the text to be sure it’s the same idea.
Tried before
This idea has been filed in 2 earlier General Assemblies. None got through a chamber.
- SF 139 Relating to elective social studies courses emphasizing religious scripture that school di…90th General Assembly · In committee · same titleCleared committee
- SF 2136 Relating to elective social studies courses emphasizing religious scripture that school di…89th General Assembly · Subcommittee recommends passage · same titleCleared committee
Matched by the wording of each bill’s explanation, or an identical title. Companion bills and renumbered versions of this bill aren’t listed; they’re the same bill.