(Des Moines) This week the Iowa House passed HF2652, the School Safety Infrastructure bill.
Iowa House Representative Tom Moore, of Griswold, said this is their second bill regarding school safety.
Moore said, “School districts will not be allowed to bond for new or renovating athletic facilities unless they are in compliance with new school safety standards. It allows districts to have mobile panic alert systems that are capable of being integrated into the local public safety answering point. It directs districts to do a comprehensive school safety review, if not already completed, and submit those plans to local law enforcement. Plans are confidential.”
The bill establishes a firearm detection software pilot program, a taskforce to come up with school safety building codes, and a grant program for school districts that choose to arm staff that would apply to infrastructure, equipment, training, and stipends.
Moore also noted that Amendment H-8200 opens up the grant for firearm detection software. It is for districts with varying amounts of total enrollment. The funding for this now comes from the $3,000,000 E911 funds. Adds the state building code commissioner, or a member of the state building code advisory council if designated by the state building code commissioner, to the task force. H-8203 for the School Security Personnel Grant program removes actual appropriation amount from the E911 funds and instead just says it will be from moneys appropriated by the general assembly. It designates Homeland Security as the requirement for the firearm detection software pilot program
