Latest news with #SenateBill68
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Metro school districts react to new Missouri cell phone policy
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Cell phone use will be banned during the school day in Missouri next school year, as districts across the state are directed to put in new polices after Governor Mike Kehoe signed a bill this week. In the metro, the Blue Springs School District sent a letter to families alerting them that students will not be allowed to use their 'electronic communication devices' during the school day. 'While the law aims to reduce distractions, improve academic focus, and enhance student well-being, we understand that not every family or student will see this as a welcome change,' the district's letter reads. 'Students will not be allowed to use their phones during the school day.' Some Kansas City-area events canceled due to storms expected Friday The 'school day' mentioned also includes lunchtime and passing periods. Phones must be turned off and stored away. Unauthorized use may lead to disciplinary action. However, Blue Spring Schools did say that there are exceptions, including emergencies and medical-related circumstances. This goes for all public and charter schools across Missouri. 'Honestly, if Missouri is trying to better their school education system by not having telephones there, I'm all for it, all for it,' said a parent in the Independence School District, Krystal Neenan. Neenan has a freshman and a first grader in the Independence School District. She's all for no cell phones at school. 'I honestly think that kids, when they're in school, should be focused on the education, and not on the distraction of a cell phone,' she said. 'I also understand the need for a safety component to that, as well. Like being in contact with your kid 24/7, as well. Like, with the school shootings and all of that. That makes me think that there is a reason for kids to have their phones in school.' Joe's Blog: Storms and cold fronts (FRI-7/11) Shain Bergan, the spokesperson for Kansas City Public Schools, said on Friday that they're working to gather feedback as to how they can better serve their students. 'We have been seeking feedback and carrying out a productive dialogue with our community regarding how best to craft a new policy in a way that is cooperative with our community while fulfilling state law, including a comprehensive ongoing survey and direct meetings with stakeholders.' In Lee's Summit, Lee's Summit R-7 released the following statement: The Lee's Summit R-7 School District revised its cell phone policy in January after a series of community engagement with students, parents, staff and other community members. This policy removed cell phones from the classroom K-12 but allowed cell phone use in the lunchroom and passing periods for high school students. We have drafted an update to our policy to address the requirements written in Senate Bill 68 and it will be implemented before the state deadline. Additionally, Park Hill K-12 said that they've been working on the issue since last school year. 'Thanks for checking in. In Park Hill, we've been communicating about this with our families since last spring,' a spokesperson for the district said. 'In May, we sent information to our families about our new cell phone policy at the high school level. I'm copying our communication below. Given the legislative action at the state level, we will be following the guidance of 'no cell phone usage during the school day.' Lastly, the Raytown School District says that cell phone use during the school day was already prohibited in their schools 'The use of cell phones is already prohibited and outlined in the student handbook,' a spokesperson said. 'We'll be sending communication out to families soon letting them know about the new law and reminding them of the policy.' Again, these policies must be implemented for all Missouri Public and Charter schools starting this school year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Yahoo
Missouri bans use of cellphones in schools with new state law
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Students across the Show-Me state will see sweeping new cell phone restrictions starting in the upcoming school year in K-12 classrooms, part of a new law signed Tuesday that includes exceptions for certain emergencies. The measure is part of a wide-ranging education bill — Senate Bill 68 — that was signed Tuesday by Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe. The policy states that beginning in the 2025-26 school year, each Missouri K-12 school district, including charter schools, must have a written policy restricting students' use of phones. The policy must include prohibiting students from displaying or using the device during the entire school day, including during instructional time, mealtimes and between classes, with certain exceptions for things like medical emergencies, natural disasters and other circumstances identified by a district. In a statement to News-Press NOW, St. Joseph School District Superintendent Ashley McGinnis said the district will be updating its handbooks and suggesting policy changes for the board that align with the new law, as well as providing communication to staff and families. Senate Bill 68 addresses several school-related issues, including the impact of student cell phone use. Research continues to show that phones can be a major distraction from learning and lead to increased discipline challenges for teachers. We believe this part of the bill will support a focused learning environment for all students," the statement read. Currently, the St. Joseph School District prohibits cell phone usage at any point of the day for elementary students. For middle and high schoolers, they are only allowed to have their phone before school, during lunch and after school. Cell phones are regularly monitored by teachers, campus supervisors, principals, lunchroom staff and other adults in the building. On the first offense, phones are confiscated and picked up at the end of the day by the student. On subsequent offenses, phones are confiscated and picked up at the end of the day by a parent, consequences may include loss of privilege and the development of an individualized check-in plan. The bill does not require phones to be locked away, meaning school board officials will have to decide whether devices will be put in designated areas or if students can keep the devices with them. "It will be a big change ... as a member of the school board I know the importance of eliminating as many extra distractions in the classroom as we can. and so, I think it's a good thing," she said. "I want for people to realize what you did before cell phones, you were still able to contact your children at school if need be." She anticipates changes will receive push back from students and even parents who have become dependent on cell phones for direct communication during school. Williams said cellphone overuse is a challenge that isn't limited to K-12 schools, calling it the "number one" challenge for many before and after-school programs locally as well. She stressed that parents will have to be a critical part of the equation to build healthier cell phone habits outside of school that can then be applied to school and life. "I'm just asking the parents. We need your help. I know these are your children, and you want access on your children at all times, but our job at the school district is to educate those kids," she said. "If the parents will help us implement these rules, it will be easier on the district to implement them. Each district will be required to describe how it intends to discipline students if they violate the policy, as well as any exceptions to allow for cell phone usage in certain circumstances. Phones are also permitted when necessary to ensure compliance with federal laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act, including for Individualized Education Programs (IEP). Polling conducted by Saint Louis University and YouGov this year showed widespread voter support for banning cell phones in schools, with over 70% of likely Missouri voters favoring prohibiting students from accessing cell phones during regular instructional activities across all K–12 schools. The bill also says that a school district or charter school employee or volunteer will be immune from any liability if the employee or volunteer acts in good faith and follows the proper disciplinary procedures.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Senate Bill 68 requires schools to regulate student phone use
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Cell phones at school are the focus of a bill passed in Jefferson City this week. Carthage settles lawsuit with former city administrator Choosing the right storm shelter Volunteers revive history in Carthage for Great Americans Day Asbury shutting off water temporarily for repair work Six months in, Joplin police see success with Co-Responder program Senate Bill 68 has been passed by both the State House and Senate and has been sent to the Governor's desk for approval. Senate Bill 68 requires school districts to adopt a policy about students' use of cell phones while on campus. Many districts, like Joplin, already have one in place, but this would make it statewide. East Middle School principal, Jason Cravens says his students aren't allowed to use phones in school—which minimizes distractions and cuts down on their looking up answers online. 'That's not helpful in an educational environment where we want them to do their own work. And then also you have social connections, and we want kids interacting face to face and learning good social skills in person,' said Cravens. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signs tort reform bills into law. What does that mean? We explain
On Monday, Governor Brian Kemp signed into law Senate Bill 68 and 69, marking the culmination of a 20-year legislative effort. The bills comprise a comprehensive tort reform package, lauded by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, as a generational step protecting families, businesses, and the state's economy. "Today is a victory for the people of our state who for too long were suffering the impacts of an out-of-balance legal environment," said Governor Brian Kemp in a press release. "While there was great passion on all sides of this issue, I am grateful for the diligent work of Commissioner John King and his office in studying this issue, the leadership of Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones and Speaker Jon Burns, the unrelenting work of Senate President Pro Tempore John F. Kennedy and House Majority Whip James Burchett, as well as Chairmen Brian Strickland and Rob Leverett for leading a thorough review, and the thoughtful deliberation of our legislative partners in the General Assembly. "As a result of this collective effort and outpouring of support from Georgians of all backgrounds, Georgia continues to move in the right direction as we work to stabilize costs and compete for economic opportunities that will create good paying jobs for hardworking Georgians across our state." What is tort reform? Tort reform is a set of changes to the civil justice system that limit the ability of people to file lawsuits and the amount of compensation they can receive, according to Wikipedia. Supporters of tort reform argue that this will lead to fairer outcomes, while critics worry it could unfairly penalize victims. Here is a breakdown of the specific policy areas addressed by the legislation, according to the press release: Reevaluates the standard for negligent security liability ('premises liability') Truthful calculation of medical damages in personal injury cases ('phantom damages') Eliminates the ability to arbitrarily anchor pain and suffering damages to a jury ('anchoring') Bifurcated trials Allow a jury to know whether the plaintiff wore their seatbelt ('admissible seatbelt evidence') Eliminate double recovery of attorney's fees Eliminate plaintiff dismissal during trial Motion to dismiss timing changes Reforming and bringing transparency to third party litigation funding How does tort reform affect people? Tort reform basically gives new requirements for filing a lawsuit. It also limits the amount of recovery someone can get from a lawsuit, according to For more details about tort reform, visit Vanessa Countryman is the Trending Topics Reporter for the the Deep South Connect Team Georgia. Email her at Vcountryman@ This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: What is tort reform? Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signs it into law
Forbes
28-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Kemp Signs Tort Reform In Georgia, As Similar Proposal Passes In Texas
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp shakes hands with Texas Governor Greg Abbott prior to the college ... More football game between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Texas Longhorns on October 19, 2024, at Darrell K Royal- Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, TX. (Photo by Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (R) has spent the first weeks of spring taking multiple victory laps following a legislative session that concluded with the enactment of top policy priorities. On April 21, for example, one week after approving legislation to accelerate state income tax cuts, Kemp signed into law Senate Bill 68 and Senate Bill 69, legislation that the Georgia Chamber of Commerce touts as 'a meaningful, comprehensive tort reform package.' 'Today is a victory for the people of our state who for too long were suffering the impacts of an out-of-balance legal environment,' Governor Brian Kemp said in his signing statement. 'As a result of this collective effort and outpouring of support from Georgians of all backgrounds, Georgia continues to move in the right direction as we work to stabilize costs and compete for economic opportunities that will create good paying jobs for hardworking Georgians across our state.' The signing statement from Governor Kemp's office goes on to note that approval of SB 68 and SB 69 'levels the playing field in our courtrooms, bans hostile foreign powers from taking advantage of consumers and legal proceedings, aims to stabilize insurance costs for businesses and consumers, increases transparency and fairness, and ensures Georgia continues to be the best place to live, work, and raise a family.' While Governor Kemp and state legislators have taken numerous steps in recent years to improve Georgia's tax and regulatory climate, tort reform aims to improve the judicial climate, making individuals and employers less vulnerable to costly and frivolous lawsuits. The tort reform package signed into law by Kemp last week does so by targeting 'phantom' damage awards and 'jury anchoring.' ''Phantom' damages are awards based on inflated medical bill amounts that were never actually paid — Georgia courts often base awards on these billed amounts rather than real payments,' the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA) explains. 'Jury anchoring is a practice in which lawyers suggest an unreasonably large award before a jury with that number becoming an 'anchor' point in jurors' minds.' The tort reform package enacted by Kemp, ATRA adds, 'will address the expansion of premises liability in Georgia that has left businesses responsible for criminal acts committed by third parties on or near their property – even if they had no way to predict or prevent such acts.' Such practices, ATRA notes, 'lead to higher litigation costs across the board. 'Securing tort reform has been the Georgia Chamber's top legislative priority for 20 years,' said Chris Clark, president and CEO of the Georgia Chamber. 'Getting both SB 68 and SB 69 signed into law fulfills the Georgia business community's promise to do right by Georgians by restoring balance to the civil justice system so our courts can focus on justice—not jackpots.' If one considers imitation to be a form of flattery, then Governor Kemp and Georgia lawmakers are now receiving high praise from the Lone Star State. While the debate over school choice has drawn the lion's share of media attention, Governor Greg Abbott (R), Lt. Governor Dan Patrick (R), and Texas legislators are working to enact a number of other conservative priorities this year, among them a tort reform package similar to the one recently enacted in Georgia. 'Georgia's meaningful reforms will ensure that truly injured victims can recover fair compensation while preventing frivolous lawsuits from driving up costs for businesses and families,' Texans for Lawsuit Reform (TLR) noted in a recent post. 'TLR—alongside the Lone Star Economic Alliance (LSEA), a business coalition comprised of 1,150 Texas job creators, individuals and associations from every corner of the state—is urging Texas legislators to pass similar reforms through SB 30.' SB 30, legislation introduced by Lt. Governor Patrick that passed out of the Texas Senate two weeks ago, 'seeks to prevent abusive lawsuit practices by many plaintiff lawyers that wrongfully inflate medical damages in personal injury lawsuits,' TLR explains. By approving SB 30, TLR adds, legislators 'will bring uniformity to Texas courtrooms by defining the noneconomic damages of pain and suffering and mental anguish, assuring that harmed persons are fully compensated on a fair and reasonable basis.' 'Critically, SB 30 would limit the evidence of medical damages that plaintiffs may submit at trial to 300% of the 2025 Medicare reimbursement rate with an adjustment for inflation,' adds TLR. 'The provision is meant to prevent lawyers from 'colluding with providers who over-diagnose, overbill and overtreat' victims to come up with inflated medical charges. Additionally, SB 30 makes clear that noneconomic awards cannot be used to punish defendants, make an example to others or serve a social good.' Nearly a week after the Texas Senate passed and sent SB 30 to the House, it approved SB 39, the other piece of Lt. Governor Patrick's tort reform package. SB 39, legislation filed by Senator Brian Birdwell (R), aims to crack down on frivolous lawsuits against trucking companies by clarifying the commercial vehicle litigation process. 'The explosion of lawsuits (many of them frivolous) against trucking companies in Texas has caused insurance rates to skyrocket, hurting Texans and our businesses,' Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said in a statement released following Senate passage of SB 39 on April 24. 'By passing SB 39, the Texas Senate has taken a major step toward providing judges a clear approach to collision cases. These changes will speed up collision trials involving commercial motor vehicles so victims get justice quicker while decreasing legal costs for Texas businesses. I thank Sen. Birdwell for his work on this critical issue.' After years of trying and coming up short, Governor Abbott, Lt. Governor Patrick, Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R), and their colleagues are understandably celebrating the recent enactment of an education savings account program. With just over one month left before the biennial regular legislative session is scheduled to adjourn in Austin, however, lawmakers still have a lot of unfinished business left to tend to and many priority bills still awaiting consideration in one legislative chamber. There is reason to believe that passage of many outstanding priorities, tort reform in particular, is likely to prove politically popular. A survey was released on April 11 by Protecting American Consumers Together (PACT), a pro-tort reform group, gauging likely Texas voters' views about lawsuit abuse and the way in which it drives up the cost of living. That survey found: According to PACT, the results of their survey demonstrate that 'a vast majority of Texans believe lawsuit abuse is a key factor driving up the price of goods and services and want their legislators to take action to fix the system.' Texas lawmakers are working hard to reach a deal on property tax relief and reforms intended to reduce regulatory burdens. Yet the advancement of tort reform in Texas and other states underscores how, beyond tax and regulatory reform, there are other ways in which state lawmakers are aiming to reduce costs for households and businesses.
