Latest news with #HouseBill1160
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gov. Armstrong signs bill banning public school student cellphone use in North Dakota
North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong gives a student the pen he used to sign a bill establishing cellphone-free public schools during a signing ceremony April 25, 2025, at Bismarck's Centennial Elementary. He was joined by first lady Kjersti Armstrong. (Photo provided by governor's office) North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong went to a Bismarck elementary school Friday to sign a bill banning public school student cellphone use from 'bell to bell.' 'This is a game changer for our public schools, giving students the freedom to focus on learning and to interact with teachers and friends without the constant tug of their cell phones and addictive social media,' Armstrong said in a statement. House Bill 1160 would require public school districts to have policies requiring student cellphones be silenced and locked away during the entire school day on school grounds. The devices, including bluetooth-enabled devices, tablets, smartwatches or other wearable devices and gaming devices, must be stored in a lockable pouch, phone locker or other inaccessible locations. The law allows students to use their phones while privately traveling to an off-site educational location, such as a career and technology center. It also allows school districts to craft their own cellphone-use policy during school-related noninstructional time, such as bus rides, field trips, sporting events and school dances. Student cellphone bills pass North Dakota Legislature; bell-to-bell ban comes back Students with medical needs that require an electronic monitoring device and students participating in individual education programs may be exempted from the law. School districts will also be required to collect data and compile a report on the impact of its cellphone policies on student behavior, mental health, disciplinary incidents, school attendance and academic performance during the interim. State Superintendent Kirsten Baesler said teachers have told her that student mental health challenges have become more 'overwhelming.' 'This law gives students the gift of attention, connection, and presence. We are removing the constant pull of comparison and distraction and replacing it with space to learn and grow,' Baesler said in a statement. The new law will go into effect Aug. 1. Lawmakers also are considering Senate Bill 2354, which would also restrict student cellphone use in private schools. The bill is being debated in a conference committee between the House and Senate. The next committee meeting is scheduled for Monday morning. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill to ban student cellphone use fails in ND Senate; House expected to take up issue Monday
Sen. Paul Thomas, R-Velva, speaks on the Senate floor on April 4, 2025. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor) A bill prohibiting cellphone use by North Dakota students during the school day failed Friday in the Senate on a 26-19 vote. House Bill 1160, sponsored by Rep. Jim Jonas. R-West Fargo, would have prohibited student cellphone use from 'bell-to-bell,' including class time and unstructured time in between classes for the entire school day. It would cover cellphones, bluetooth-enabled devices, smart watches and other wearable devices capable of voice, text and other data transfers between students. Students would also have been required to store their devices in a locked box or pouch so they would remain inaccessible in between classes. Gov. Kelly Armstrong advocated for the elimination of student cellphone use during the school day during the committee hearing. He argued getting rid of the devices would improve students' mental health and academic performance. Gov. Armstrong advocates for eliminating student cellphone use in public schools Sen. Mike Wobbema, R-Valley City, supported the bill on the floor. He said school districts that have implemented a school day ban on phone use reported increased social interaction, more participation in club activities, improvement in academic performance and the return of conversational noise in the hallways. 'It is past time that we throw our young students a lifeline and put in place the tools to rescue them from the addiction of social media and other screen applications,' Wobbema said. Sen. Paul Thomas, R-Velva, who voted against the bill, said school districts can already implement bans on phone use during the school day. 'We have communities that don't allow cellphones in their schools and it's working quite well,' Thomas said. 'My concern here is, if I was a school board member, I would vote for this. As a legislator, I don't think it's our role to tell the school boards what to do.' Senate Bill 2354 included the same language as the bill that failed in the Senate. But Rep. Dori Hauck, R-Hebron, a member of the House Education Committee, said the committee amended that version to include more flexibility for school boards. The amended Senate bill would allow students to use their phones on field trips and only require them to be stowed away during instructional time, not stored in a lock box or pouch during the school day. She said the bill would also give school boards the power to limit or allow student phone use outside of instructional time, such as in between classes or over lunch. 'It gives the school districts a little bit more flexibility on what they can and can't do and they get to make the choice, rather than us making the choice for them,' Hauck said. The House is expected to vote on that bill on Monday. One of the younger members of the Legislature, 26-year-old Sen. Claire Cory, R-Grand Forks, said she was able to use a cellphone with no restrictions while she was in high school. She voted against the measure because she believes the issue was best left up to local school boards. 'It's not up to the state to control the local policies so I'd hope the school boards would come in with their individual policies on what works best for their schools,' Cory said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
North Dakota House advances bill requiring school cellphone policy
Rep. Brandy Pyle, R-Casselton, speaks during a House floor session on Jan. 27, 2025. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor) North Dakota school districts would be required to develop a cellphone policy but retain control over what is in that policy under a bill passed Monday by the House. House Bill 1160 originally banned cellphone use by public school students during class but was made less restrictive. 'I believe in local control,' Rep. Brandy Pyle, R-Casselton. 'I think it's a great option.' School cellphone policies must include exceptions for medical monitoring and emergency situations. Rep. Jim Kasper, R-Fargo, voted for the bill but said he was disappointed that it didn't include more policy guidelines. He said he withdrew a separate student cellphone bill because of House Bill 1160. The bill advances to the Senate. Meanwhile, a hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday in the Senate Education Committee on Senate Bill 2300, which requires school districts to securely store student cellphones during the school day. Senate Bill 2353 also addresses school phone policies. A hearing on that bill has not yet been scheduled. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
