Iowa HF 2329: A bill for an act requiring annual volunteer service by high school students and including applicability provisions.

Bill Text

House File 2329 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE 2329
BY DONAHUE, GAINES, and STAED
A BILL FOR
An Act requiring annual volunteer service by high school1
students and including applicability provisions.2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:3
TLSB 6139YH (3) 88
je/jh

H.F. 2329
Section 1. NEW SECTION. 256.18B Volunteer service1
requirement for high school students —— policy.2
1. Commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 2020,3
the board of directors of each local public school district4
and the authorities in charge of each nonpublic school shall5
require, as a condition of graduation, that all students in6
grades nine through twelve complete a minimum of thirty-five7
hours of volunteer service per school year. Volunteer service8
performed at school functions or community activities or for9
nonprofit organizations shall be eligible for this requirement.10
Such volunteer service may include service that is performed11
for nonprofit organizations of a political or religious nature.12
2. The board of directors of a school district and the13
authorities in charge of an accredited nonpublic school14
shall establish a policy for reporting and verifying hours of15
volunteer service as required by this section. The policy may16
provide for recognition of outstanding volunteer service by17
students.18
3. Credit for hours of volunteer service may be transferred19
between school years and between school districts, accredited20
nonpublic schools, or both within a school year.21
Sec. 2. APPLICABILITY. This Act does not apply to academic22
years completed prior to the effective date of this Act.23
EXPLANATION24
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with25
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.26
This bill requires as a condition of graduation that27
students in grades 9 through 12 in school districts and28
accredited nonpublic schools complete a minimum of 35 hours of29
volunteer service per school year commencing with the school30
year beginning July 1, 2020. Volunteer service performed at31
school functions or community activities or for nonprofit32
organizations shall be eligible for this requirement. Such33
volunteer service may include service that is performed for34
nonprofit organizations of a political or religious nature.35
-1-
LSB 6139YH (3) 88
je/jh 1/2

H.F. 2329
The bill requires school boards and authorities in charge1
of accredited nonpublic schools to establish a policy for2
reporting and verifying hours of volunteer service. The policy3
may provide for recognition of outstanding volunteer service4
by students.5
The bill authorizes transfer of credit for hours of6
volunteer service between school years and between school7
districts, accredited nonpublic schools, or both within a8
school year.9
The bill does not apply to academic years completed prior to10
the effective date of the bill.11
-2-
LSB 6139YH (3) 88
je/jh 2/2