Measures to ban student cellphone in schools advance in Legislature

Two similar measures to ban student cellphone use in schools, one of the Legislature’s top education priorities, advanced recently.

A Senate committee on April 8 approved House Bill 1276 by a 7-4 vote. The measure would require local school boards to adopt a policy prohibiting cell phones and smartwatches for the entire school day before the 2025-26 school year.

The measure does allow school districts to opt out but they must revisit the decision every year.

A House committee April 9 passed Senate Bill 139 by a vote of 8-3. Under this measure, districts would have to implement a ban in 2025-26 but could opt out in subsequent school years.

House and Senate lawmakers can now decide which measure to pursue for final approval from the full Legislature.

Both bills allow exceptions in emergencies and for students who use cell phones to monitor medical issues.

Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore, and Rep. Chad Caldwell, R-Enid, are the authors of both bills. Seifried said the measures are a compromise, allowing districts a level of local control while still addressing the issue statewide. “This is the most important thing we can do on education,” she said.

Neither bill outlines specific consequences for students who violate such bans. That would be up to districts.

Oklahoma Watch (OklahomaWatch.org) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that covers public-policy issues facing the state.