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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3823 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 696
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Adam J. Scanlon
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act establishing a commission regarding phones in schools.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Adam J. Scanlon14th Bristol1/17/2025 1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3823 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 696
By Representative Scanlon of North Attleborough, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
696) of Adam J. Scanlon for an investigation by a special commission (including members of the
General Court) relative to the presence of students’ phones in schools and classrooms and their
effect on educational outcomes and student mental health. Education.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act establishing a commission regarding phones in schools.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. There shall be a commission to study and make recommendations to the
2Joint Committee on Education and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
3regarding the presence of students’ phones in schools and classrooms and their effect on
4educational outcomes and student mental health.
5 SECTION 2. The commission shall consist of 2 members appointed by the senate
6president, 1 of whom shall be the senate chair of the joint committee on education, and 1 of
7whom shall serve as co-chair of the commission; 2 members appointed by the speaker of the
8house of representatives, 1 of whom shall be the house chair of the joint committee on education,
9and 1 of whom shall serve as co-chair of the commission; 1 member appointed by the minority
10leader of the senate; 1 member appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives;
11the secretary of education or a designee; the commissioner of elementary and secondary
12education or a designee; 2 members appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall be an expert on 2 of 3
13developmental psychology and mental health, and 1 of whom shall be an expert on education and
14the science of learning; and 1 person appointed from each of the following organizations: the
15Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, Inc.; the Massachusetts Association of
16School Committees, Inc.; the Massachusetts Teachers Association; the American Federation of
17Teachers, Massachusetts; the Massachusetts PTA; the Digital Wellness Lab at Boston Children’s
18Hospital.
19 SECTION 3. The commission shall investigate the effects of the presence of students’
20phones in schools, including their effects on student learning and student mental health and
21development, and a review of current policies across districts and schools in the Commonwealth,
22and make recommendations regarding policies for schools, school districts, and the Department
23of Elementary and Secondary Education. These recommendations shall include:
24 (i) whether students should be prohibited from using their phones from the start of the
25school day to the end of the school day, or whether this prohibition shall exclude any particular
26periods such as lunch or recess;
27 (ii) whether school policy shall be that students may keep their phones in their bags or
28whether they must be kept in a locker or some other place during the school day;
29 (iii) whether such policies should be promulgated at the state level and binding on school
30districts, or whether such policies should be promulgated at the state level with incentives to
31local and regional districts to adopt them, or whether such policies should be promulgated at the
32state level as model policies, or whether such policies should be promulgated at the district level;
33 (iv) whether any other technology or tools should be used in the course of implementing
34a policy regarding phones in schools; 3 of 3
35 (v) whether the Commonwealth or individual districts should pursue any public or private
36funding to finance any such policies.
37 SECTION 4. The commission shall report to the joint committee on education and to the
38department of elementary and secondary education its findings and recommendations on or
39before January 1, 2026.