Iowa - September 2020

of a county board of health to be a physician, one of five members be either a physician, physician
assistant, advanced registered nurse practitioner or advanced practice registered nurse.
• SF 2268 - The INA pushed bill. increases the minimum age to purchase tobacco, tobacco products,
alternative nicotine products, vapor products and cigarettes from 18 to 21. It conforms Iowa’s laws to
federal rules, so local police can enforce the age restrictions.
Healthcare Loan Repayment Program Keeps Funding Increase
Included in the Omnibus Appropriations bill, House File 2643, is $250,000 for the Healthcare Loan
Repayment Program. After receiving $200,000 annually for many years, this is the second year in a row
that the program has seen an increase of $50,000.
The program repays the qualified student loans of registered nurses, advanced registered nurse practitioners,
mental health professionals, physician assistants, and nurse educators who practice full-time in a service
commitment area or teach in this state.
To qualify for the program, applicants must complete and return to the student aid commission an affidavit
of practice verifying that the applicant is or will be practicing full-time in a service commitment area in this
state. A service commitment area is a city in Iowa with a population of less than 26,000 that is located
more than 20 miles from a city with a population of 50,000 or more.
The annual amount of loan repayment to a program applicant is $6,000 or 20 percent of the recipient’s
total qualified student loan, whichever amount is less.
Bills of Interest:
This is the final disposition of bills of concern/interest.
(SF = Senate File, SSB = Senate Study Bill, HF = House File, HSB = House Study Bill)
Awaiting action by the Governor:
SF 2360 (formerly SF 2190 and SSB 3080) - Disruptive Students (M) - The bill does all of the following:
a) Provides for the development and distribution of guidelines for schools to use in response to student
behavior that presents an imminent threat of bodily injury to a student or faculty; b) Establishes a
Therapeutic Classroom Incentive grant program and appropriates money for student transportation to
therapeutic classrooms; and c) and protects school employees from charges of “corporal punishment” if
they are attacked or defending themselves.
Passed the Senate 50-0. Amended and approved by the House 95-3. Approved by the Senate 48-1.
SF 2268 (formerly SSB 3016) - Smoking Age Increase (F) - The bill increases the minimum age to purchase
tobacco, tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, vapor products and cigarettes from 18 to 21.
The bill also conforms Iowa’s laws to federal rules, so local police can enforce the age restrictions.
Approved by the Senate 43-6. Approved by the House 84-13
SF 2261 (formerly SF 2100) - School Mental Health via Telehealth (F) - The bill would allow behavioral
health services to be offered to students via telehealth at schools.
Approved by the Senate 49-0. Amended and Approved by the House 92-4. Passed by the Senate 50-0.
2020 ANNUAL BOOK OF REPORTS | YEAR OF THE NURSE
35