IowaIowa schools limit screen lessons and restrict some meal ingredients
Iowa schools limit digital lessons for younger students and restrict certain ingredients in school meals, while food assistance and health rules also change.
What it does
Students in kindergarten through grade five may have no more than 60 minutes of digital lessons per school day, with exceptions for certain supports, tests, and lessons. Schools must publish a technology policy.
Schools covered by the rules may not serve meals with certain listed ingredients or give students food and drinks containing them during the school day. The text also sets food rules for SNAP and summer EBT, permits nonprescription ivermectin sales, and addresses health professionals and psychologists.
For students in kindergarten through grade five, digital lessons are limited to 60 minutes per school day, with exceptions for certain supports, tests, and lessons. Schools must publish a technology policy.
Argument forYoung students could spend less of the school day on individual screens, while families may ask schools to reduce their child’s screen lessons further.
Argument againstThe daily limit could leave younger students with less time for digital lessons, even though tests, learning supports, and some other uses do not count.
More detail
Schools must limit digital lessons for younger students and adopt a written technology policy. The daily limit covers digital lessons for students in kindergarten through grade five. The daily limit excludes required disability supports, assistive technology, teacher demonstrations, certain tests, and dedicated computer science or technology lessons. The policy must tell families they may request further reductions, say that devices support rather than replace basic learning, and bar device use during recess. The rules do not apply to students in online learning programs under section 256.43, and do not limit schools’ authority to provide internet instruction to meet calendar requirements. These school technology rules apply to school years beginning on or after July 1, 2027.
Schools and the state must follow the stated food, nutrition, medication, and health-profession provisions. School food rules cover public school districts and charter schools with breakfast or lunch programs, and nonpublic schools that receive state funds for those programs. Other provisions cover SNAP and summer EBT, pharmacies, specified health professionals, medical schools, facilities, and psychologists. School meal programs may not serve meals containing the listed dyes and other ingredients; school staff may not give students food or drinks containing them during the school day, and campus sales are barred during the school day. Direct deliveries through the federal Foods in Schools program are excepted from the meal ban. The department must seek federal approval for a SNAP waiver limiting eligible foods. Continued SNAP benefits without interruption if the waiver is not approved depend on federal funding; summer EBT participation is optional and depends on federal approval of matching food rules. Pharmacies may distribute ivermectin for human use without a prescription. The rules also allow certain facilities to keep epinephrine supplies and trained staff to administer them in good faith when they reasonably believe someone is having a severe allergic reaction. The listed provisions also require nutrition education for specified medical licensees and medical students, and let qualified psychologists practice across participating states under compact rules. The school food rules apply to school years beginning on or after July 1, 2027. Medical schools must require the stated nutrition coursework beginning July 1, 2028.
Schools must limit digital lessons for younger students and adopt a written technology policy.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 22Fiscal note.Latest
- May 20Signed by Governor Kim Reynolds.Became Law
- May 11Reported correctly enrolled, signed by Speaker and President, and sent to Governor.To Governor
- Apr 27Message from Senate.
- Vote recorded Shall the bill pass? Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 27Immediate message.
- Apr 27Passed Senate, yeas 30, nays 16.Major
- Apr 27Senate concurred with S-5202.
- Apr 21Fiscal note.
- Apr 21Message from House, with amendment S-5202.
- Apr 20Immediate message.
- Vote recorded Shall the rules be suspended to consider amendment H-8386, to the Senate amendment H-8335? Result: fail.Lower
- Vote recorded Shall the bill pass? Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 20Passed House, yeas 61, nays 31.Major
- Apr 20House concurred in Senate amendment H-8335, as amended.
- Apr 20Amendment H-8380 to amendment H-8335 filed, adopted.Major
- Apr 20Motion to suspend rules failed.
- Apr 20Motion to suspend rules for immediate consideration of amendment H-8386 to amendment H-8335, yeas 31, nays 60.
- Apr 20Point of order raised on amend H-8386 to amendment H-8335, ruled not germane.
- Apr 20Amendment H-8386 filed.Minor
- Apr 15Fiscal note.
- Apr 8Senate amendment H-8335 filed.Minor
- Vote recorded Shall the bill pass? Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 8Message from Senate.
- Apr 8Immediate message.
- Apr 8Passed Senate, yeas 30, nays 15.Passed 2nd Chamber
- Apr 8Amendment S-5173 filed, adopted.Major
- Apr 8Substituted for SF 2367.
- Mar 19Fiscal note.
- Mar 19Placed on calendar under unfinished business.
- Mar 4Read first time, attached to SF 2367.Minor
- Mar 4Message from House.
- Mar 3Immediate message.
- Vote recorded Shall the bill pass? Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Shall the rules be suspended to consider amendment H-8089? Result: fail.Lower
- Vote recorded Shall the rules be suspended to consider amendment H-8082? Result: fail.Lower
- Vote recorded Shall amendment H-8069 be adopted? Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Shall amendment H-8070 be adopted? Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Shall amendment H-8083 be adopted? Result: fail.Lower
- Mar 3Passed House, yeas 65, nays 30.Passed 1st Chamber
- Mar 3Amendment H-8071 adopted, as amended.Major
- Mar 3Amendment H-8134 to amendment H-8071 filed, adopted.Major
- Mar 3Motion to suspend rules failed.
- Mar 3Motion to suspend rules for immediate consideration of amendment H-8089, yeas 29, nays 66.
- Mar 3Point of order raised on amendment H-8089, ruled not germane.
- Mar 3Motion to suspend rules failed.
- Mar 3Motion to suspend rules for immediate consideration of amendment H-8082, yeas 30, nays 65.
- Mar 3Point of order raised on amendment H-8082, ruled not germane.
- Mar 3Amendment H-8070, yeas 93, nays 2, adopted.
- Mar 3Amendment H-8069, yeas 67, nays 28, adopted.
- Mar 3Amendment H-8068 withdrawn.
- Mar 3Amendment H-8083, yeas 35, nays 60, lost.
- Mar 3Amendment H-8084 out of order.
- Mar 3Amendments H-8063 and H-8090 adopted.
- Mar 2Fiscal note.
- Mar 2Amendments H-8082, H-8083, H-8084, H-8089, and H-8090 filed.
- Mar 2Amendments H-8063, H-8068, H-8069, H-8070, and H-8071 filed.
- Feb 23Introduced, placed on calendar.Introduced
EducationHealthcareMental Health