Bill Text: NH HB131 | 2025 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Requiring school boards to develop and enact policies regarding personal cell phone use in schools.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 11-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-01-15 - Public Hearing: 01/23/2025 02:00 pm Legislative Office Building 205-207 [HB131 Detail]

Download: New_Hampshire-2025-HB131-Introduced.html

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HB 131  - AS INTRODUCED

 

 

2025 SESSION

25-0218

02/05

 

HOUSE BILL 131

 

AN ACT requiring school boards to develop and enact policies regarding personal cell phone use in schools.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Ladd, Graf. 5; Rep. Cordelli, Carr. 7; Rep. Drye, Sull. 7; Rep. Noble, Hills. 2; Rep. Terry, Belk. 7; Rep. Lynn, Rock. 17; Rep. Weyler, Rock. 14; Rep. Hill, Merr. 2; Rep. Kofalt, Hills. 32; Rep. S. Smith, Sull. 3; Sen. Ward, Dist 8

 

COMMITTEE: Education Policy and Administration

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill requires school districts to adopt policies governing student cell phone use in schools.

 

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

25-0218

02/05

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five

 

AN ACT requiring school boards to develop and enact policies regarding personal cell phone use in schools.

 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 

1  New Paragraph; Cell Phone Use Policy.  Amend RSA 189:1-a by inserting after paragraph IV the following new paragraph:

V.  School boards shall develop and adopt a policy governing student cell phone use in schools. Such policy shall restrict the use of student personal cell phones during class instruction without educator approval. Districts are encouraged to consider exceptions to student use during instruction when an educator is using devices as part of a lesson plan.  School district policies shall not prohibit students with disabilities from using a device to support their learning as identified by their individualized education program (IEP) or 504 plan.

2  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.