House committee passes ‘Bell to Bell, No Cell’ bill

The Oklahoma House of Representatives Common Education Committee has approved a bill to prohibit students’ cell phone use during the school day.

Rep. Chad Caldwell, R-Enid, authored House Bill 1276 to eliminate distractions in the classroom and improve students’ mental health. The bill would require Oklahoma school boards to adopt policies prohibiting cell phone use on campus before the start of the next school year. Personal electronic devices, including smartwatches, are also included under the measure.

“Data clearly shows the alarming effects of social media and smartphone usage by young people, as well as academic declines when phones are allowed in schools,” Caldwell said. “This bill would allow schools the ability to craft their own policies to prohibit the use of cell phones and smartwatches during the school day starting next school year. Schools maintain control, but students reap the benefits.”

Any policy prohibiting cell phone use must also include a provision for emergency use, including items used for medical issues.

Rep. Dick Lowe, R-Amber, chair of the House Common Education Committee, said he prioritized HB1276 as the committee’s first bill of the year in response to widespread calls from across the state for a solution. He praised Caldwell’s leadership on this issue.

“Cell phones are powerful tools, but they usually do more harm than good in the classroom,” said Lowe, a former agriculture teacher. “House Bill 1276 gives schools the flexibility to implement policies that work best for their communities and helps students be fully engaged without the constant pull of technology. I appreciate Representative Caldwell’s extensive work to find a solution that protects local control, and I hope to see this sent to the governor’s desk quickly.”

“Going ‘bell to bell, no cell’ is about creating a learning environment where students are not continuously distracted by their devices, and Representative Caldwell has done a tremendous job rallying support for this bill,” said Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow. “It’s time our classrooms return to being places of learning, not distractions. House Bill 1276 gives Oklahoma’s schools the flexibility to set policies that fit their needs while reinforcing a simple goal—to let kids be kids and let teachers teach.”

Under HB1276, school boards could choose to allow student cell phone use but the policy must be approved annually. The bill passed the House Common Education Committee 11-2 but must pass the House Education Oversight Committee before it can be heard on the House floor.