Students First Safety Act PASSES Iowa House!

HF2586, the Students First Safety Act, passes Iowa House!  Yesterday, the Iowa House passed the Students First Safety Act (now HF2586) with 61% affirmative vote, sending the bill to the Senate for action.  (Look HERE to see how your Representative voted on the bill in the House.) Today, the bill was  assigned to the 19-member Senate Education Committee for review and action.

HF2586 provides important additional safety measures and protection for students in Iowa schools.  The recent shooting in Perry, Iowa painfully demonstrates that nowhere is immune from evil.  We must do everything in our power to protect our school children.  Read the full text of the bill HERE.

IFC wishes to thank the 61 House members who voted in favor of this bill to provide additional tools to protect Iowa’s students.

PRESS RELEASE

Iowa House passes the Students First Safety Act

WHO: The Iowa Firearms Coalition and the Iowa House

WHAT: The Students First Safety Act passes the Iowa House

WHERE: Iowa State Capitol Building

WHY: To increase school safety 

(DES MOINES, Iowa) – The Iowa Firearms Coalition (IFC) is pleased the Iowa House of Representatives has overwhelmingly voted to pass the “Students First Safety Act,” HF 2586. 

The bill, which allows for specially trained armed staff to carry firearms on school grounds, passed on Wednesday with 61 legislators voting in support of the pro-school safety legislation.  

“Allowing for those who love their children enough to protect them is a win for school safety and all of Iowa’s students,” said IFC President Dave Funk. “IFC is grateful to have partnered with lawmakers on moving this bill of critical importance forward and we look forward to working with the Senate and Governor Kim Reynolds to make it law.” 

While state and federal law currently allow for Iowa school districts to arm school staff, in practice, insurance companies have denied coverage to districts that have attempted to do this.  

Two school districts in northwest Iowa had worked to implement armed staff in 2023 but cancelled plans once Des Moines based EMC insurance notified the districts that their insurance policies would not be renewed if their plans went into effect. 

Under this new legislation, school staff and school districts that comply with the training requirements will receive qualified immunity from civil or criminal damages should they need to stop a threat. This language is designed to allow school districts who protect their students the ability to maintain insurance coverage.  

“In the wake of the recent act of evil at Perry High School, it’s clear no school district, large or small, is immune from being a target by someone who wishes to commit an act of evil,” said Funk. “The Students First Safety Act will force a would-be attacker to think twice before attempting to harm our kids, and should they still move forward with their plans, they’ll be stopped and lives will be saved.” 

IFC is calling on Iowans to contact their state Senator and demand they pass HF 2586 immediately. 

The full bill can found here: Iowa Legislature – BillBook 

The Iowa Firearms Coalition, Iowa’s official NRA State Association, is a 501(c4) nonprofit and is Iowa’s only effective pro-Second Amendment rights organization.

For further comment, please contact:
John McLaughlin, IFC Chair
515-724-4164
jmclaughlin@iowafc.org