EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0147*
HOUSE BILL 147
F1 5lr1207
(PRE–FILED)
By: Delegates Wu, Boafo, Fraser–Hidalgo, Grammer, T. Morgan, Pasteur, and
Patterson
Requested: October 14, 2024
Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
Assigned to: Ways and Means
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 1, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
County Boards of Education – Elementary and Middle Schools – Student 2
Technology Use Policy – Requirements 3
FOR the purpose of requiring certain county boards of education to develop and adopt a 4
policy that prohibits elementary and middle school students from using a cellular 5
phone or on the use of a personal electronic device during the school day except under 6
certain circumstances; school hours; requiring that the policy limit the use of a 7
smartphone and a device connected to a smartphone during instructional time, 8
except under certain circumstances; and generally relating to county boards of 9
education and a student technology use policy for elementary and middle schools 10
during school hours. 11
BY adding to 12
Article – Education 13
Section 7–136 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 16
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 17
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 18
Article – Education 19
2 HOUSE BILL 147
7–136. 1
(A) IN THIS SECTION , “PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICE” MEANS ANY 2
PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE FOR INDIVIDUA L USE, INCLUDING A SMARTPHO NE, 3
TABLET, LAPTOP, OR SMARTWATCH , OR SMARTGLASSES . 4
(B) THIS SECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO A COUNTY BO ARD THAT HAS AN 5
EXISTING POLICY LIMITING THE USE OF CELLULAR PHONES AND ON THE USE OF 6
PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICES BY STUDENTS IN ELEME NTARY AND MIDDLE 7
SCHOOLS DURING SCHOOL HOURS DURING SCHOOL HOURS THAT INCLUDES A 8
LIMITATION ON THE US E OF A SMARTPHONE OR A DEVICE CONNECTED T O A 9
SMARTPHO NE DURING INSTRUCTIO NAL TIME. 10
(C) (1) EACH COUNTY BOARD SHA LL DEVELOP AND ADOPT A POLICY 11
THAT PROHIBITS AN ELEMENT ARY SCHOOL OR A MIDD LE SCHOOL STUDENT FR OM 12
USING A CELLULAR PHONE OR PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICE DURING SCHOOL 13
HOURS ON THE USE OF PERSON AL ELECTRONIC DEVICES D URING SCHOOL HOURS . 14
(2) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED UN DER SUBSECTION (D) OF THIS SECTION, 15
THE POLICY SHALL INC LUDE A LIMITATION ON THE USE OF A SMARTPH ONE OR A 16
DEVICE CONNECTED TO A SMARTPHONE DURING INSTRUCTIONAL TIME . 17
(D) A POLICY DEVELO PED UNDER THIS SECTI ON MAY NOT PROHIBIT A 18
STUDENT FROM USING A CELLULAR PHONE OR PE RSONAL ELECTRONIC DE VICE 19
SMARTPHONE OR A DEVI CE CONNECTED TO A SM ARTPHONE: 20
(1) FOR ANY PURPOSE DOCUM ENTED IN THE STUDENT ’S 21
INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCA TION PROGRAM OR SECTION 504 PLAN; 22
(2) TO MONITOR OR ADDRESS A STUDENT’S DOCUMENTED HEALTH 23
ISSUE; OR 24
(3) WHEN DIRECTED BY AN E DUCATOR OR ADMINISTR ATOR FOR 25
EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES . 26
(E) A POLICY ADOPTED IN AC CORDANCE WITH THIS S ECTION SHALL BE 27
PUBLISHED: 28
(1) ON THE WEBSITE OF EACH COUNTY BOARD ; AND 29
(2) IN EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT HANDBOOK . 30
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 31
1, 2025. 32 HOUSE BILL 147 3
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.