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SF 500

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.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Mark Costello

The bill creates a state School Security Personnel Grant Program with a dedicated fund to provide annual matching grants up to $30,000 per district for private security officers or

Subcommittee: Garrett, Donahue, and Zumbach.
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Bill Summary · SF 500

Summary of SF 500 (2025)

Overview

SF 500 proposes the creation of a School Security Personnel Grant Program within the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHS&EM). The bill establishes a dedicated fund, provides for annual grants to school districts to offset costs of employing or retaining private school security officers or school resource officers (SROs) to guard attendance centers, and authorizes targeted appropriations to support the program.

Purpose and Intent

  • To assist school districts with the costs of enhanced security by providing matching grants for districts that invest in private security personnel or SROs.
  • To create a stable funding mechanism (a dedicated fund) to support ongoing school security staffing needs.

Key Provisions

New Subsections to Iowa Code 279.84

  • NEW SUBSECTION 4: DHS&EM shall develop and administer a School Security Personnel Grant Program. The program provides annual grants to match funds provided by a school district to offset costs of employing or retaining a private security officer or SRO to guard an attendance center. Grant amounts shall not exceed $30,000 per district per year.
  • NEW SUBSECTION 5: Establishes the School Security Personnel Grant Program Fund in the state treasury. The fund is administered by DHS&EM and consists of general fund appropriations and other monies deposited into the fund. Money in the fund is appropriated to DHS&EM for the grant program. Funds may not revert to the general fund at year-end; instead, they remain available for subsequent fiscal years (notwithstanding the general lapse date in section 8.33).

Funding and Administration

  • A new dedicated fund: School Security Personnel Grant Program Fund (within the state treasury).
  • Funding sources: General Assembly appropriations and other monies received by the department for deposit in the fund.
  • Use of funds: To support the School Security Personnel Grant Program administered by DHS&EM.
  • Fiscal treatment: Funds in the new fund do not revert at the close of the fiscal year; they remain available for future years, continuing the program’s support.

Appropriations (Fiscal Year 2025-2026)

  • An appropriation from the general fund to DHS&EM for the fiscal year July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, to be used for the School Security Personnel Grant Program as established by the bill (funded via the new program fund).

Eligibility and Matching

  • School districts must provide matching funds to qualify for the grant.
  • The grant is designed to offset district costs for employing or retaining private security officers or SROs to guard attendance centers.

Administrative Details

  • Subcommittee: Garrett, Donahue, and Zumbach.
  • Introduced: March 4, 2025.
  • Status: Referred to Appropriations; Subcommittee noted on March 6, 2025.
  • Primary Sponsor: Costello.

Potential Impact

  • Enhances security staffing in school districts through state-supported matching grants.
  • Provides a predictable, ongoing funding stream via a dedicated fund, reducing timing risk for districts planning security investments.
  • Affects school districts, private security providers, and districts’ attendance centers by encouraging use of SROs or private officers with state support.
  • Requires districts to provide matching funds to receive grants, potentially influencing budgeting decisions at the district level.

Timeline and Next Steps

  • If advanced, the program would begin with the 2025-2026 fiscal year funding cycle, contingent on final passage and appropriation execution.
  • Legislative actions noted: introduced 3/4/2025; subcommittee proceeding 3/6/2025; referred to Appropriations.

This summary presents the bill’s substantive elements and fiscal mechanics in accessible terms to aid readers seeking to understand its scope, financial implications, and potential impact on school security funding.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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