Overview
- Kansas leaders introduced Senate Bill 302 to prohibit student cellphone use during instructional time in all accredited K-12 schools statewide.
- The Kansas bill requires devices to be turned off and stored out of reach during class, sets district disciplinary procedures, and includes allowances for IEPs, 504 plans, and medical needs.
- SB302 has 28 co-sponsors across parties and is expected to clear the Kansas Senate this month before moving to the House for consideration.
- Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and Sen. Lincoln Fillmore unveiled SB69 to expand last year’s limits into a full bell-to-bell ban with exceptions for schoolwide emergencies, SafeUT, medical necessity, and individualized education plans.
- District experiences are shaping the debate, with Granite School District reporting fewer fights and lower failure rates at Granger High under locking pouches, while Shawnee Mission adopted a more moderate policy that limits but does not fully ban phones.