Latest news with #cellphones
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
School cell phone bill goes to DeSantis
The Legislature on Friday formally sent bills to Gov. Ron DeSantis that would prevent elementary and middle school students from using cell phones during the entire school day and create a new third-degree felony offense of animal cruelty for people who restrain dogs outside during natural disasters. The cell-phone change, which was included in a broader education bill (HB 1105), would expand on a current law that prevents students from using cell phones during instructional time. It would prohibit cell-phone use throughout the school day in elementary and middle schools. It also would create a pilot program in six counties that would prevent cell phone use in high schools throughout the school day. The animal cruelty proposal (SB 150) was crafted after a dog was found last year tied to a fence along Interstate 75 during Hurricane Milton. The bill was named 'Trooper's Law,' after a Florida Highway Patrol trooper discovered the dog surrounded by water. The dog was adopted after being taken to the Tallahassee Humane Society. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
School cell phone bill goes to desk of Gov. Ron DeSantis
The Legislature on Friday formally sent Gov. Ron DeSantis a bill that would prohibit elementary and middle school students from using cell phones during the entire school day. The cell-phone change, which was included in a broader education bill (HB 1105), would expand on a current law that prevents students from using cell phones during instructional time. It would prohibit cell-phone use throughout the school day in elementary and middle schools. It would also create a pilot program in six counties that would prevent cell phone use in high schools throughout the school day. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
The Independent
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Majority of US states now have laws banning or regulating cellphones in schools, with more to follow
Florida was the first state to pass a law regulating the use of cellphones in schools in 2023. Just two years later, more than half of all states have laws in place, with more likely to act soon. Bills have sprinted through legislatures this year in states as varied as New York and Oklahoma, reflecting a broad consensus that phones are bad for kids. Connecticut state Rep. Jennifer Leeper, a Democrat and co-chair of the General Assembly's Education Committee, on May 13 called phones 'a cancer on our kids' that are 'driving isolation, loneliness, decreasing attention and having major impacts both on social-emotional well-being but also learning.' Republicans express similar sentiments. 'This is a not just an academic bill,' Republican Rep. Scott Hilton said after Georgia 's bill, which only bans phones in grades K-8, passed in March. 'This is a mental health bill. It's a public safety bill.' So far, 26 states have passed laws, with eight other states and the District of Columbia implementing rules or making recommendations to local districts. Of the states, 17 have acted this year. Just Tuesday, Nebraska Republican Gov. Jim Pillen signed a law banning phones throughout the school day. Earlier Tuesday, Alaska lawmakers required schools to regulate cellphones when they overrode an education package Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy had vetoed for unrelated reasons. More action is coming as bills await a governor's signature or veto in Florida, Missouri, Nebraska and New Hampshire. Increasing focus on banning phones throughout the school day When Florida first acted, lawmakers ordered schools to ban phones during instructional time while allowing them between classes or at lunch. But now there's another bill awaiting Gov. Ron DeSantis' action that goes further. It would ban phones for the entire school day for elementary and middle schools. Ten states and the District of Columbia have enacted school day bans, most for students in grades K-12, and they now outnumber the seven states with instructional time bans. North Dakota Republican Gov. Kelly Armstrong called the ban throughout the school day that he signed into law 'a huge win." 'Teachers wanted it. Parents wanted it. Principals wanted it. School boards wanted it," Armstrong said. Armstrong recently visited a grade school with such a ban in place. He said he saw kids engaging with each other and laughing at tables during lunch. The 'bell-to-bell' bans have been promoted in part by ExcelinEd, the education think tank founded by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. The group's political affiliate has been active in lobbying for bans. Nathan Hoffman, ExcelinEd's senior director of state policy and advocacy, said barring phones throughout the day heads off problems outside of class, like when students set up or record fights in halls. 'That's often when you get some of your biggest behavioral issues, whether they go viral or not,' Hoffman said. Other states want school districts to set their own rules But other states, particularly where there are strong traditions of local school control, are mandating only that school districts adopt some kind of cellphone policy, believing districts will take the hint and sharply restrict phone access. In Maine, where some lawmakers originally proposed a school day ban, lawmakers are now considering a rewritten bill that would only require a policy. And there have been a few states where lawmakers failed to act at all. Maybe the most dramatic was in Wyoming, where senators voted down a bill in January, with some opponents saying teachers or parents should set the rules. Where policymakers have moved ahead, there's a growing consensus around exceptions. Most states are letting students use electronic devices to monitor medical needs and meet the terms of their special education plans. Some are allowing exceptions for translation devices if English isn't a student's first language or when a teacher wants students to use devices for classwork. There are some unusual exceptions, too. South Carolina's original policy allowed an exception for students who are volunteer firefighters. West Virginia's new law allows smartwatches as long as they are not being used for communication. Some parents and students oppose the rules But by far the most high-profile exception has been allowing cellphone use in case of emergencies. One of the most common parent objections to a ban is that they would not be able to contact their child in a crisis like a school shooting. 'It was only through text messages that parents knew what was happening," said Tinya Brown, whose daughter is a freshman at Apalachee High School, northeast of Atlanta, where a shooting killed two students and two teachers in September. She spoke against Georgia's law at a news conference in March. Some laws call for schools to find other ways for parents to communicate with their children at schools, but most lawmakers say they support giving students access to their cellphones, at least after the immediate danger has passed, during an emergency. In some states, students have testified in favor of regulations, but it's also clear that many students, especially in high schools, are chafing under the rules. Kaytlin Villescas, a sophomore at Prairieville High School, in the suburbs of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is one student who took up the fight against bans, starting a petition and telling WBRZ-TV in August that Louisiana's law requiring a school day ban is misguided. She argued that schools should instead teach responsible use. 'It is our proposition that rather than banning cellphone use entirely, schools should impart guidelines on responsible use, thereby building a culture of respect and self-regulation,' Villescas wrote in an online petition. Most states provide no funding to carry out laws A few states have provided money for districts to buy lockable phone storage pouches or other storage solutions. New York, for example, plans to spend $13.5 million. But states have typically provided no cash. New Hampshire lawmakers stripped a proposed $1 million from their bill. 'Providing some specific money for this would kind of ease some of those implementation challenges,' Hoffman said. 'That said, most states have not." ___ Associated Press writers Becky Bohrer in Juneau, Alaska; Susan Haigh in Hartford, Connecticut; Jack Dura in Bismarck, North Dakota; and Kate Payne in Tallahassee, Florida; contributed to this report.
Forbes
21-05-2025
- Forbes
Contraband Cell Phones Are Costing The Bureau Of Prisons Millions
For those surrendering to prison, they often consider the trouble that got them there when faced with participating in any activity that would get them in more trouble. In many prison camps, the lowest level of security in the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), cell phones are so prevalent that those who recently surrender can have one within days of arriving on the compound. According to a report by the Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) recovered at least 8,700 contraband cell phones during fiscal years 2012 through 2014. In 2024, staff at Thomson Federal Prison recovered over 400 contraband phones and industry experts estimate that as many as 25% of all federal inmates may have access to contraband cell phones. That percentage is believed to be much higher at minimum and low security prisons. In response to the growing problem of contraband cell phones, legislative measures such as the Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati Stopping Prison Contraband Act were introduced to increase penalties for smuggling contraband into prisons. In 2013, after completing his shift at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, Albarati, a BOP corrections professional, was shot and killed while he was driving on the Jose De Diego Expressway. The shooting was coordinate by federal inmates housed at MDC Guaynabo who coordinated the hit with cell phones. Contraband phones are easy to get into prison camps. Corrupt staff, drones and drop-offs near the prison are the most common ways phones are introduced. Many camps have no fence or an unguarded perimeter that makes it easy for someone to pass contraband goods into the compound. The BOP has also had problems with its security cameras working, making breaches to the camp that much easier. A contraband phone can carry a price of over $2,500 with Cash App or Venmo are used to complete the transaction. These transactions often pass through multiple accounts as a way of masking the receipt of payment. The high price demonstrates the demand and the risk associated with being caught with a cell phone. Inspector General Michael Horowitz stated in comments related to removing cell phones from prison, 'A cell phone in a prison is a deadly weapon. Yet, as our investigative work continues to demonstrate, contraband cell phones have proven to be pervasive inside many federal prisons, a reality that undermines the safety and security of these institutions for BOP staff, inmates, and the public." Inmates' means of communication with the outside world are severely restricted, a privilege that can be revoked and is often unreliable. Federal prisoners have access to Corrlinks, an email system that only allows text-based messages—no hyperlinks or attachments. These emails are monitored, meaning all communication is saved and is not protected by attorney-client privilege. Phone calls are also allowed, but they are recorded and limited to 15 minutes before being cut off. The experience resembles using a pay phone at an airport in the 1990s: several phones in a small area, with long lines and noisy surroundings, where anyone passing by can overhear the conversation. While regular mail is becoming less common in prison, it is still used, but it is always opened and read by authorities. In-person visits are monitored but with limited supervision, typically by one or two correction officers stationed at a desk to ensure order is maintained. During visits, inmates cannot exchange papers or information. However, in the loud, crowded environment of the visiting area, many conversations remain private. That said, in-person visits come with a significant cost in terms of time and travel to reach the prison. The punishment for individual inmates has not been effective in reducing demand. The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has faced such a severe issue that it has resorted to mass punishments, locking down the entire prison until searches are completed and inmates provide information about how the phones are circulating within the facility. For the inmate caught with a phone, there are two major consequences. First, they will face punishment from the BOP, usually a 41-day loss of Good Conduct Time. Second, there is a social cost among the inmate population: the person caught is expected to purchase a replacement phone for those who were impacted by the incident. The presence of contraband cell phones comes with a significant cost to the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) and, by extension, to taxpayers. While some phones are sent to FBI labs for analysis, not all phones are processed due to the sheer volume, far exceeding the resources available for proper investigation. Each time a phone is discovered, the BOP conducts an investigation and holds a disciplinary hearing, all while staff is already stretched thin. The BOP spends over $300 million annually to compensate for staff shortages. A significant cost of cell phones in federal prisons is the 41-day loss of Good Conduct Time imposed as punishment. When the BOP adds 41 days to a prisoner's sentence, it means an additional 41 days of incarceration costs. At an average cost of $120 per day (a typical figure for the BOP), that adds $4,920 in expenses for a single prisoner. With around 78,000 prisoners in minimum and low-security facilities, and if 25% of them have access to a cell phone, that equals nearly 20,000 phones. If half of those phones are confiscated and the prisoners receive the 41-day sanction, the total cost in additional incarceration would be $49.2 million. When an inmate or group of inmates is caught with a cell phone, it often results in sanctions against the entire prison population. This typically includes the suspension of visitation, phone use, and email privileges. Families are not notified about these lockdowns or the suspension of privileges, leaving many to show up for scheduled visits only to find them suddenly cancelled. The only way for inmates to communicate with their families during these lockdowns is through contraband cell phones. In their desperation to reassure their loved ones, inmates often risk making calls to let their families know they are okay. One phone call can quickly lead to more. These phones are more than just communication tools—they are essentially mini-computers that allow inmates to access news and legal information to assist with their own cases. Many attorneys are conflicted about whether or not to take calls from their clients, but the difficulty of arranging legal phone calls often leads to shortcuts or compromised communication. There is no easy solution to this. The BOP cannot condone the use of cell phones, though they do allow tablets that have very limited features such as movies, games or books. However, federal law prohibits the use of certain scrambling devices because it limits access to emergency services such as 911. Congress is now getting involved with a proposed bill that will lift the restriction allowing some scrambling devices to be used. Until then, the cat and mouse between inmate and BOP will continue.
CBS News
21-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Half of states now have laws that ban or regulate cellphones in schools
Florida was the first state to pass a law regulating the use of cellphones in schools in 2023. Just two years later, half of all states have laws in place — with more likely to act soon. Bills have sprinted through legislatures this year in states as varied as New York and Oklahoma, reflecting a broad consensus that phones are bad for kids. Last week, Connecticut state Rep. Jennifer Leeper, a Democrat and co-chair of the General Assembly's Education Committee, called phones "a cancer on our kids" that are "driving isolation, loneliness, decreasing attention and having major impacts both on social-emotional well-being but also learning." Republicans express similar sentiments. "This is a not just an academic bill," Republican Rep. Scott Hilton said after Georgia's bill, which only bans phones in grades K-8, passed in March. "This is a mental health bill. It's a public safety bill." So far, 25 states have passed laws, with eight other states and the District of Columbia implementing rules or making recommendations to local districts. Of the states, 16 have acted this year. Just Tuesday, Alaska lawmakers required schools to regulate cellphones when they overrode an education package that Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy had vetoed for unrelated reasons. More action is coming as bills await a governor's signature or veto in Florida, Missouri, Nebraska and New Hampshire. Teachers and administrators have long known cellphones were major distractions in learning: A 2023 Pew survey showed 72% of high school teachers view cellphones as a major problem in their classrooms. And U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has issued an advisory on the effects of social media on youth mental health. Aside from academic benefits, cellphone restrictions can assist with social development and creating community at the school, Kim Whitman a parent-turned-advocate told CBS News last year. Whitman, a co-founder of Phone Free, said if schools "allow phones to be present it's hard for students to connect and create a sense of belonging." More focus on bans throughout school day When Florida first acted, lawmakers ordered schools to ban phones during instructional time while allowing them between classes or at lunch. But now there's another bill awaiting Gov. Ron DeSantis' action that goes further. It would ban phones for the entire school day for elementary and middle schools. Nine states and the District of Columbia have enacted school day bans, most for students in grades K-12, and they now outnumber the seven states with instructional time bans. North Dakota Republican Gov. Kelly Armstrong called the ban throughout the school day that he signed into law "a huge win." "Teachers wanted it. Parents wanted it. Principals wanted it. School boards wanted it," Armstrong said. Armstrong recently visited a grade school with such a ban in place. He said he saw kids engaging with each other and laughing at tables during lunch. The "bell-to-bell" bans have been promoted in part by ExcelinEd, the education think tank founded by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. The group's political affiliate has been active in lobbying for bans. Nathan Hoffman, ExcelinEd's senior director of state policy and advocacy, said barring phones throughout the day heads off problems outside of class, like when students set up or record fights in halls. "That's often when you get some of your biggest behavioral issues, whether they go viral or not," Hoffman said. Some states want districts to set rules But other states, particularly where there are strong traditions of local school control, are mandating only that school districts adopt some kind of cellphone policy, believing districts will take the hint and sharply restrict phone access. In Maine, where some lawmakers originally proposed a school day ban, lawmakers are now considering a rewritten bill that would only require a policy. And there have been a few states where lawmakers failed to act at all. Maybe the most dramatic was in Wyoming, where senators voted down a bill in January, with some opponents saying teachers or parents should set the rules. Where policymakers have moved ahead, there's a growing consensus around exceptions. Most states are letting students use electronic devices to monitor medical needs and meet the terms of their special education plans. Some are allowing exceptions for translation devices if English isn't a student's first language or when a teacher wants students to use devices for classwork. There are some unusual exceptions, too. South Carolina's original policy allowed an exception for students who are volunteer firefighters. West Virginia's new law allows smartwatches as long as they are not being used for communication. Opposition from some parents, students But by far the most high-profile exception has been allowing cellphone use in case of emergencies. One of the most common parent objections to a ban is that they would not be able to contact their child in a crisis like a school shooting. "It was only through text messages that parents knew what was happening," said Tinya Brown, whose daughter is a freshman at Apalachee High School, northeast of Atlanta, where a shooting killed two students and two teachers in September. She spoke against Georgia's law at a news conference in March. Some laws call for schools to find other ways for parents to communicate with their children at schools, but most lawmakers say they support giving students access to their cellphones, at least after the immediate danger has passed, during an emergency. In some states, students have testified in favor of regulations, but it's also clear that many students, especially in high schools, are chafing under the rules. Kaytlin Villescas, a sophomore at Prairieville High School, in the suburbs of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is one student who took up the fight against bans, starting a petition and telling WBRZ-TV in August that Louisiana's law requiring a school day ban is misguided. She argued that schools should instead teach responsible use. "It is our proposition that rather than banning cellphone use entirely, schools should impart guidelines on responsible use, thereby building a culture of respect and self-regulation," Villescas wrote in an online petition. Most states provide no funding for laws A few states have provided money for districts to buy lockable phone storage pouches or other storage solutions. New York, for example, plans to spend $13.5 million. But states have typically provided no cash. New Hampshire lawmakers stripped a proposed $1 million from their bill. "Providing some specific money for this would kind of ease some of those implementation challenges," Hoffman said. "That said, most states have not." contributed to this report.
