DES MOINES, Iowa – Gov. Kim Reynolds on Monday signed into law SF 2080, a bill prohibiting public schools from conducting “invasive physical examinations” or student health screenings not required by state or federal law without a parent’s or guardian’s written consent.
The new law applies to school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools. The bill does not apply to an emancipated minor or a minor not residing with the parent or guardian.
It allows examinations in emergent care situations or cooperating with a child abuse assessment.
Reynolds did not offer a comment about signing the bill in an announcement that she signed 26 bills in total.
The Iowa Senate passed the bill unanimously, 47 to 0, on March 10. The House also unanimously passed the bill 94 to 0 on March 30.
Democrats in the Senate attempted to amend the bill to include accredited non-public schools. State Senator Amy Sinclair, R-Allerton, the bill’s sponsor, responded that parents are already very involved in private schools, and students are not compelled to attend those schools.
The amendment was defeated by a 32 to 15 vote.
“It should be best practice that districts would get parental consent before conducting a screening on a child. The impetus of this bill comes from the fact that I was contacted by several parents from around the state where this was not the case, and therefore the bill is coming before us so that so that parents who ought to be involved in every step of a child’s health care needs are aware of that in advance of any screenings taking place,” Sinclair said at the close of the Senate’s debate on the bill.
