Cell phones would be banned from use in schools statewide under legislation passed by the House this week. This issue has been worked on in both chambers, by both parties, over the past few years, but has yet to make it to the governor’s desk. Today’s progress came after months of negotiations on language within the proposal.
Key Points:
- House Bill 4141 was introduced by Senator Mark Tisdel (R-Rochester Hills).
- The ban would apply to all K-12 public school students.
- While a student couldn’t use their phone during instructional time, they could still use it during non-instructional time between classes and during lunch.
- The legislation allows for a few exemptions, including old-school flip phones and medical exceptions.
- Schools could implement stricter cellphone-use policies if they choose.
Prior to passage, the bill was tie-barred to Senate Bill 495, introduced by Senator Dayna Polehanki (D-Livonia). The bill requires schools to develop a protocol for the use of cell phones by students during emergencies.
Next Steps:
- HB 4141 will be sent to the Senate for consideration.
- SB 495 is before the Senate Education Committee, chaired by Senator Polehanki, for consideration.
