DES MOINES, Iowa [KCCI] — The Iowa State Board of Education met Wednesday to discuss proposed rules for implementing a 2023 law that bans books depicting sex acts in school. Senate File 496, signed into law last year, requires schools to remove books depicting sexual acts. It also prohibits discussions on gender identity and sexual orientation before seventh grade. The board held a public hearing Nov. 5 on the guidelines.

Thomas Mayes, general counsel for the Iowa Department of Education, said they received 32 written comments and one person who showed up in person for the public hearing.

Under the proposed rules, districts must post an updated list of their books at least two times a year. If libraries serve multiple grades, the district must have controls in place to ensure students only have access to age-appropriate materials.

The board also discussed penalties for violating the law. The new rules say staff and administrators who fail to follow the law will first receive a written warning. Repeated offenses could mean appearing before the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners. The law also prohibits discussions on gender identity and sexual orientation before seventh grade. Proposed guidelines clarify that a neutral reference or a factual reference would not considered promotion or instruction.

The ACLU of Iowa renewed its legal battle against the law in October. The organization was successful in getting the law blocked back in December, which caused the state board to pause its work on the law. The injunction was lifted in August.

There will be another public hearing on Dec. 11 in the state boardroom of the Grimes State Office Building from 8 a.m. until 9 a.m. Written comments can be made no later than 4:30 p.m. Dec. 11 by emailing thomas.mayes@iowa.gov, by calling 515-281-8661 or by mailing them to Thomas A. Mayes, Iowa Department of Education, Grimes State Office Building, 400 E. 14th St., Des Moines, IA 50319.