A bill for an act relating to establishing the school security personnel grant program within the department of homeland security and emergency management and making appropriations.
Summary
SF 500 would create a new school security personnel grant program within the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. The program would provide annual matching grants to school districts to help cover the cost of employing or retaining a private school security officer or school resource officer to guard attendance centers. Each grant would be capped at $30,000 per district per year, and districts would have to contribute matching funds to qualify.
The bill also establishes a dedicated school security personnel grant program fund in the state treasury. Money appropriated to the fund would remain available across fiscal years rather than reverting to the general fund at year-end. For fiscal year 2025-2026, SF 500 appropriates $9.75 million from the general fund to seed the program.
Impact
SF 500 would amend Iowa Code section 279.84 by adding a state-administered grant program tied to school security staffing costs. It would not eliminate existing school security requirements or recommendations in current law, but it would create a new funding mechanism to support districts that choose to employ private school security officers or school resource officers. The bill would also create a nonreverting special fund and direct a specific general-fund appropriation to the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for distribution to school districts.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and available legislative context, the measure appears to be framed as a school safety and district support proposal, with no recorded committee transcript or vote history showing formal debate in the materials provided. The introduction of a substantial appropriation suggests the bill is intended to be a practical funding measure rather than a symbolic policy change. Because no votes or hearing comments are available, there is no documented consensus or opposition in the provided record.
Contention
The main likely point of contention is whether state funds should be used to subsidize armed or contracted school security personnel, especially through a matching-grant structure that may favor districts able to contribute local money. Another possible issue is the size of the appropriation and whether the program should prioritize security staffing over other school safety or student support investments. The bill text itself does not identify opponents, but these fiscal and policy tradeoffs are the most likely sources of disagreement.
Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security; creating the Emergency Relief and Impacts Grant Program; establishing Emergency Relief and Imipacts Revolving Fund; emergency.
A bill for an act relating to the recovery of benefits inappropriately obtained from the department of homeland security and emergency management.(See HF 249.)
A bill for an act relating to the recovery of benefits inappropriately obtained from the department of homeland security and emergency management. (Formerly HSB 23.) Effective date: 07/01/2025.
Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security; making an appropriation; source; amount; creating certain special account; reports; appearance before certain joint committee; emergency.