• About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
Tuesday, February 7, 2023
The Iowa Torch
  • Home
  • State Government
  • Federal Government
  • Local Government
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • State Government
  • Federal Government
  • Local Government
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Opinion
The Iowa Torch
The Iowa Torch
No Result
View All Result
Home State Government

Iowa Senate Advances Two Student Health Bills

Two bills passed in the Iowa Senate Education Committee dealing with who can require student immunizations and parental consent for student health screenings.

Shane Vander HartbyShane Vander Hart
January 24, 2022
in State Government
Reading Time: 2 mins read

Westside of Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines, Iowa, on February 2, 2021.
Photo Credit: Shane Vander Hart

DES MOINES, Iowa – The Iowa Senate Education Committee advanced two bills – SSB 3004 (now SF 2079) and SSB 3005 (now SF 2080) out of committee by voice vote last Wednesday.

RELATED POSTS

Reynolds names Stephen Osborn Iowa’s new Adjutant General

State of Iowa invites feedback about where to spend broadband funding

Bird joins lawsuit against Biden Administration’s Parole Action

SF 2079 clarifies that only the State Board of Public Health can require immunizations for enrollment to a licensed child care center or elementary or secondary school that are not listed in state code. The bill states that the state code and state rules preempt anything passed at the local level regarding student immunizations.

While no one mentioned COVID-19 during the committee, presumably, this would prevent a local school district from requiring students to be vaccinated. There wasn’t any debate during the committee over the bill. 

SF 2080 prohibits school districts, charter schools, or innovation schools from administering a physical examination or student health screening not required by state or federal law unless they have acquired the student’s parents’ or guardian’s written consent. The bill does not prohibit health screenings in emergencies where serious injury or harm could occur if medical care is not provided, a health screening for symptoms or exposure to an outbreak or public health event, or child abuse assessments.

“Some parents reached out about dental screenings being performed without their consent,” State Senator Amy Sinclair, R-Allerton, the sponsor of both bills, told The Iowa Torch, explaining what initiated SF 2080. 

“We felt that any non-emergency medical procedure being conducted at school should be preceded with a parent’s permission as it would have to be at any medical provider,” she added.

ADVERTISEMENT

This bill unanimously passed in the Iowa Senate in 2020, but Sinclair said it was “lost in the shuffle” during the pandemic, so they needed to revisit it and pass it again.

State Senator Sarah Trone Garriott, D-Windsor Heights, who was on the subcommittee for SF 2080, said she wanted to know the history of the bill. 

“I raised a concern to make sure this would be applied consistently to all schools accredited and funded with public dollars,” she added.

The original bill did not include charter schools. Sinclair offered an amendment in response to Trone Garriott’s comments during the committee meeting that passed, adding charter schools to the bill’s language. 

Both bills are eligible for floor debate in the Iowa Senate.

Tags: 2022 Iowa Legislative Session89th General AssemblyAmy SinclairIowa Board of Public HealthIowa SenateIowa Senate Education Committeestudent healthstudent immunizations
ShareTweetShare
ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

Ernst: Biden’s First Year Failures

Next Post

Iowa Senate Panel Advances Second Amendment Preservation Act

Shane Vander Hart

Shane Vander Hart

Shane Vander Hart is the editor of The Iowa Torch.

Related Posts

Reynolds signs bill creating education savings accounts
State Government

Reynolds signs bill creating education savings accounts

January 24, 2023
The Iowa House Education Reform Committee debating HSB 1 on January 18, 2023.
State Government

School choice bill advances through legislative committees

January 19, 2023
Group Pushes for Tax Cuts with Iowa’s Projected Revenue Growth
State Government

Iowa Legislature gavels in 90th General Assembly, highlights priorities

January 9, 2023
Whitver Announces Iowa Senate Committee Chairs, Vice Chairs
State Government

Iowa Senate committee chairs for 90th General Assembly announced

November 18, 2022
State Government

Iowa House and Senate Republicans select leaders

November 11, 2022
Speaker Pat Grassley Announces Updated Iowa House Committee Assignments
Politics

Republicans expand majorities in Iowa Legislature

November 9, 2022
Next Post
Nunn Announced Raising $250K Since His Campaign Announcement

Iowa Senate Panel Advances Second Amendment Preservation Act

Bill Increasing Governor’s Appointments to District Judicial Nominating Commissions Advances

Bill Increasing Governor's Appointments to District Judicial Nominating Commissions Advances

Sign-Up For Our Daily Updates

Get The Iowa Torch right in your inbox!

Please wait...

Thank you for signing up!

Recommended Articles

Study: $1,702 Collected in Property Taxes Per Capita in Iowa

Hendrickson: For property tax relief focus on spending

October 19, 2022

Iowa Senate Republicans Set FY 22 Budget Target at Just Shy of $8 Billion

March 24, 2021
Reynolds Signs Tax Cuts, Mental Health Funding Into Law

Reynolds Signs Tax Cuts, Mental Health Funding Into Law

June 17, 2021

Popular Stories

  • Hendrickson: Fiscal Conservatism Works

    Hendrickson: Placing Iowa’s income tax on the road to elimination

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Ingstad & Hendrickson: Iowa education reforms point to what’s next

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • State of Iowa invites feedback about where to spend broadband funding

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Ernst: Investigation proves group that funneled tax dollars into Chinese labs can’t be trusted.

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Iowa Dept. of Revenue Releases 2022 Individual Tax Brackets, Interest Rates, and Deductions

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

The Iowa Torch

The Iowa Torch​ is a for-profit, news organization that focuses on political news as it relates to Iowans

Categories

  • Education
  • Federal Government
  • Iowa History
  • Local Government
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • State Government
  • Uncategorized
  • Uncategorized

Newsletter

Please wait...

Thank you for signing up!

© 2022 The Iowa Torch, a publication of 4:15 Communications, LLC.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • State Government
  • Federal Government
  • Local Government
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Opinion

© 2022 The Iowa Torch, a publication of 4:15 Communications, LLC.