Latest news with #HB932
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Classroom cellphone ban bill passes Senate, heads to governor's desk
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A bill that will require school districts to adopt policies that ban the use of cellphones during class has now passed the Tennessee Senate and will head to Gov. Bill Lee for his signature. HB 932, by Rebecca Alexander (R-Jonesborough), requires all public school districts in Tennessee to adopt policies that outline prohibitions of student use of 'wireless communication devices' during 'instructional time,' with certain exceptions. The bill defines 'wireless communication devices' as including but not limited to cellphones, tablets, and laptop computers, and allows for exemptions to be crafted into the policies, including for emergency purposes or in line with students with disabilities who require devices for their education. PREVIOUS: Classroom cellphone ban bill passes TN House 'This bill aims to minimize classroom distractions and internet bullying on our school campuses,' Sen. Ferrell Haile said of the bill on the Senate floor Thursday. According to Haile, who is the Senate sponsor of the bill, the idea is to require the policy in all school districts, though he acknowledged 'a lot of the school districts already do this,' during floor debate. Additionally, Haile said 'a lot of the bullying' takes place during the lunch hour, so school districts could also elect to prohibit the use of cellphones during that time period as well. The measure saw bipartisan support, with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle agreeing cellphones should be used less during school hours. Sen. Rusty Crowe (R-Johnson City), speaking in support of the measure, said while he understood some parent concern about not being able to contact their child in the event of an emergency, evidence suggested having multiple people trying to make calls or send texts largely 'messes up the entire safety plan.' 'When everybody's calling everybody else, it really ruins the plans to save these kids,' he said. 'So, it's a great bill, and it's time that we do this.' The bill passed the Senate 30-0, with Nashville Sen. Heidi Campbell abstaining from the vote. During the floor debate, she applauded the sponsor for the intent of the bill but felt this issue should be of local concern rather than a state policy. She noted Metro Nashville Public Schools already had such a policy in place. Since the measure passed in the Tennessee House of Representatives earlier this week, the bill now heads to Gov. Bill Lee's desk for his signature. The law will take effect as of July 1 in order to be in place for the 2025-2026 school year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Tennessee is close to requiring school cellphone bans
Tennessee is inching closer to banning cellphones in classrooms. Why it matters: Bans like these, which have become popular nationwide, are designed to reduce distractions in K-12 schools while protecting students' mental health. The big picture: 68% of U.S. adults support cellphone bans during class, and about 36% favor an all-day ban, a Pew Research survey found last year. Those who oppose the bans, especially parents of K-12 students, cited the ability to reach their children when needed, according to the poll. State of play: A cellphone ban stalled in the Tennessee legislature last year, but a tweaked version has advanced quickly and with bipartisan support in 2025. HB 932 would require school systems to establish policies that prohibit cellphones and other "wireless communication devices" during instructional time. The measure passed in the House Monday. It could face its final vote in the Senate as soon as Thursday. Zoom in: The bill, which was crafted with input from statewide education groups, includes several exceptions. For instance, students with disabilities could use phones or special apps they need for schoolwork. Teachers could allow students to use cellphones for educational purposes, and students could use phones in emergencies. It would be up to individual districts to set parameters for those exceptions. What they're saying: State Rep. Rebecca Alexander (R-Jonesborough), the lead sponsor, said districts would have plenty of flexibility to determine the specifics of their local bans. Some school districts might ban phones all day, while others might only prohibit them during class. "It is a very permissive bill and it allows each school board to set up their own policy," Alexander said in a legislative hearing last month. Reality check: Most Tennessee school districts, including Metro, already have bans in place. Some are stricter than the basic plan laid out in this legislation. Alexander said superintendents asked her to bring the bill forward. The bottom line:"We're setting a minimum level of expectation of what we believe is in the best interest of the students," Rep. Scott Cepicky (R-Culleoka) said during a hearing.
