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HSB 679

A bill for an act relating to noncontact periods for students, coaches, directors, and teachers in extracurricular interscholastic athletic contests and competitions.

2025-2026 Regular Session

The bill creates defined noncontact periods for students and school staff involved in extracurricular athletics to limit prohibited contact during specified times.

Committee report approving bill, renumbered as HF 2508.
#athletics #schools #students #teachers
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Bill Summary · HSB 679

Summary of HSB 679 (Iowa) — 2025-2026 Session

Purpose and intent

HSB 679 addresses rules governing noncontact periods for students, coaches, directors, and teachers involved in extracurricular interscholastic athletic contests and competitions. The bill aims to define and regulate times when individuals participating in or overseeing school athletic activities are prohibited from engaging in certain contact or athletic-activity related interactions, with the goal of clarifying expectations, protecting student well-being, and ensuring consistent practices across schools.

Key provisions and changes

  • Establishment of noncontact period requirements: The bill specifies periods during which students, coaches, and district staff are restricted from certain activities or contact related to interscholastic athletics. The exact duration and timing of these noncontact periods are defined within the statute or accompanying amendments.
  • Coverage of participants and roles: Applies to students participating in extracurricular interscholastic athletic contests and to adults in leadership or supervisory roles, including coaches, directors, and teachers involved with those programs.
  • Scope of activities restricted: Noncontact restrictions typically pertain to direct in-person athletic contact, scheduling, or planning activities outside of defined practice or competition windows, as well as related communication or engagement that may be considered part of the noncontact period. The bill delineates what constitutes prohibited conduct or interaction during these periods.
  • Compliance and enforcement: Provisions likely include requirements for school districts to adopt and communicate noncontact period policies, along with enforcement mechanisms and potential consequences for violations. This may involve reporting, investigations, or corrective actions at the district level.
  • Timing and implementation: The bill sets effective dates and any transitional rules for districts to implement the noncontact periods, including how current programs should adjust to the new requirements.

Who would be affected

  • Student athletes involved in extracurricular interscholastic sports.
  • Coaches, directors, and teachers who supervise or participate in athletic programs.
  • School districts, athletic directors, and coaches responsible for scheduling, programming, and enforcing noncontact periods.
  • Interscholastic activities coordinators and school personnel who communicate about athletics with students and families.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduction and referral: Introduced February 5, 2026, and referred to the Education committee.
  • Subcommittee process: Initial subcommittee review noted (Wheeler, Gosa, and Stone). A scheduled subcommittee meeting was cancelled.
  • Committee action: The Education committee reported favorably, recommending passage with a renumbering to HF 2508 (as of February 16, 2026), indicating advancement toward floor consideration.
  • Floor timeline: With a committee report and renumbering, the bill would proceed to legislative floor debates and votes, subject to calendar priorities and further amendments.

Additional context

  • Known action history shows strong committee support: Committee vote was 20 yeas to 3 nays, indicating broad legislative backing at the committee level.
  • Renumbering to HF 2508 suggests alignment with the House file for formal passage and eventual enactment, subject to final negotiations and the governor’s approval.

If you need, I can extract and summarize the exact statutory language once the bill text is available, or compare this bill to current Iowa provisions on noncontact periods.

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

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