Bills › 91st General Assembly
Requiring boards of directors of school districts and the authorities in charge of accredited nonpublic schools to adopt policies related to excusing the absences of students enrolled in grades nine through twelve for civic or political events
Sponsored by Sen. Molly Donahue (D)
Topics:K–12 education
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedJanuary 22, 2025
- Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 28, 2025
- Stopped: Senate committeeDied when the General Assembly ended
- Next: Passes the Senate
- Next: House committeeFunnel: by March 20, 2026
- Next: Passes the House
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Died when the session ended The General Assembly adjourned on October 2, 2026. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
This bill requires boards of directors of school districts and the authorities in charge of accredited nonpublic schools to adopt policies related to excusing the absences of students enrolled in grades through for civic or political events. The bill requires the board of directors of each public school district and the authorities in charge of each accredited nonpublic school to adopt a policy that requires the school district or accredited nonpublic school to grant a student who is enrolled in grades through at least one excused absence each school year when the student is absent from school because of the student’s participation in a civic or political event.
Read the full explanation
civic or political event. The bill defines “civic or political event” to include voting in an election, serving as a poll worker, participating in a strike, participating in a public comment period before any public body, attending a speech by a candidate for a public office, attending a political forum, attending a civic forum, or attending a town hall meeting. The bill provides that a student’s absence from school that is related to participation in a civic or political event shall not be considered an absence from school for purposes of truancy or the enforcement of standards related to chronic absenteeism.
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. It hasn’t reported yet.
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
Read from the bill as introduced. Each links to every bill touching that chapter of the Iowa Code. How the Code works
Lobbying
0 for · 0 against · 3 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.
Tried before
91st General Assembly
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 an earlier General Assembly. None got through a chamber.
- SF 2132 Requiring boards of directors of school districts and the authorities in charge of accredi…90th General Assembly · In committee · nearly identicalCleared committee
Similar bills this General Assembly
- HF 2612 Requiring boards of directors of school districts, the authorities in charge of accredited…91st General Assembly · In committeeSimilar
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.