Maryland 2025 Regular Session

Maryland Senate Bill SB130 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3		EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
4	4		[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
5		-	Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
6		-	Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
7		-	amendment.
8	5		sb0130
9	6
10	7		SENATE BILL 130
11	8		F1 5lr0757
12	9		(PRE–FILED)
13		-	By: Senator Benson Senators Benson, Attar, Augustine, Brooks, Feldman, Hester,
14		-	Waldstreicher, M. Washington, and Watson
	10	+	By: Senator Benson
15	11		Requested: September 5, 2024
16	12		Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
17	13		Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
18		-	Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
19		-	Senate action: Adopted
20		-	Read second time: February 27, 2025
21	14
22		-	~~CHAPTER ______~~
	15	+	A BILL ENTITLED
23	16
24	17		AN ACT concerning 1
25	18
26	19		County Boards of Education – Student Cellular Device Use Policy – Established 2
27		-	Education – Student Personal Electronic Device Use Policy – Required 3
28	20
29		-	FOR the purpose of requiring each county board of education to develop and implement a 4
30		-	policy that prohibits students from using a cellular device during the school day 5
31		-	except under certain circumstances; and generally relating to county boards of 6
32		-	education and student cellular device use policy requiring the State Department of 7
33		-	Education to develop guidelines for a policy on student use of personal electronic 8
34		-	devices during school hours; requiring county boards of education, in consultation 9
35		-	with students, parents, teachers, and school personnel, to develop and adopt a policy 10
36		-	that limits students from using personal electronic devices during school hours 11
37		-	except under certain circumstances; and generally relating to county boards of 12
38		-	education and a personal electronic device use policy for students. 13
	21	+	FOR the purpose of requiring each county board of education to develop and implement a 3
	22	+	policy that prohibits students from using a cellular device during the school day 4
	23	+	except under certain circumstances; and generally relating to county boards of 5
	24	+	education and student cellular device use policy. 6
39	25
40		-	BY adding to 14
41		-	Article – Education 15
42		-	Section 4–147 16
43		-	Annotated Code of Maryland 17
44		-	(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 18
	26	+	BY adding to 7
	27	+	Article – Education 8
	28	+	Section 4–147 9
	29	+	Annotated Code of Maryland 10
	30	+	(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 11
45	31
46		-	SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 19
47		-	That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 20
48		-	2 SENATE BILL 130
	32	+	SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12
	33	+	That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 13
49	34
	35	+	Article – Education 14
50	36
51		-	~~Article – Education 1~~
	37	+	4–147. 15
52	38
53		-	4–147. 2
	39	+	(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 16
	40	+	INDICATED. 17
54	41
55		-	(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 3
56		-	INDICATED. 4
	42	+	(2) “CELLULAR DEVICE ” MEANS ANY PORTABLE , WIRELESS 18
	43	+	COMMUNICATION DEVICE , INCLUDING A SMARTPHONE , TABLET, OR WEARABLE 19
	44	+	DEVICE. 20
57	45
58		-	(2) “CELLULAR DEVICE ” MEANS ANY PORTABLE , WIRELESS 5
59		-	COMMUNICATION DEVICE , INCLUDING A SMARTPHO NE, TABLET, OR WEARABLE 6
60		-	DEVICE. 7
61		-
62		-	(3) “INSTRUCTIONAL TIME ” MEANS ANY TIME DURIN G THE SCHOOL 8
63		-	DAY, EXCEPT A STUDENT ’S LUNCH PERIOD . 9
64		-
65		-	(B) EACH COUNTY BOARD SHA LL DEVELOP AND IMPLE MENT A POLICY TO 10
66		-	PROHIBIT THE USE OF A CELLULAR DEVICE BY STUDENTS DURING INST RUCTIONAL 11
67		-	TIME. 12
68		-
69		-	(C) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (D) OF THIS SECTION , THE 13
70		-	POLICY DEVEL OPED UNDER THIS SECT ION SHALL: 14
71		-
72		-	(1) PROHIBIT A STUDENT FR OM USING A CELLULAR DEVICE DURING 15
73		-	INSTRUCTIONAL TIME ; AND 16
74		-
75		-	(2) REQUIRE A STUDENT TO STORE THE STUDENT ’S CELLULAR 17
76		-	DEVICE IN A SECURE S TORAGE CONTAINER . 18
77		-
78		-	(D) THE POLICY DEVELOPED UNDER THIS SECTIO N MAY NOT PROHIBIT A 19
79		-	STUDENT FROM USING A CELLULAR DEVICE : 20
80		-
81		-	(1) FOR ANY PURPOSE DOCUM ENTED IN A STUDENT ’S 21
82		-	INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCA TION PROGRAM OR SECTION 504 PLAN; 22
83		-
84		-	(2) TO MONITOR OR ADDRESS A STUDENT’S HEALTH ISSUE THAT HAS 23
85		-	BEEN DOCUMENTED BY A LICENSED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL ; OR 24
86		-
87		-	(3) FOR EDUCATION PURPOSE S WHEN DIRECTED BY A N EDUCATOR 25
88		-	OR ADMINISTRATOR . 26
89		-
90		-	(E) THE POLICY DEVELOPED UNDER THIS SECTION S HALL INCLUDE 27
91		-	APPROPRIATE DISCIPLI NARY MEASURES FOR VI OLATIONS OF THE POLI CY. 28
92		-	SENATE BILL 130 3
93		-
94		-
95		-	(F) EACH COUNTY BOARD SHA LL NOTIFY STUDENTS , PARENTS AND 1
96		-	GUARDIANS, AND SCHOOL PERSONNEL OF THE POLICY DEVELO PED AND 2
97		-	IMPLEMENTED UNDER TH IS SECTION. 3
98		-
99		-	(A) IN THIS SECTION , “PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICE” MEANS ANY 4
100		-	PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE FOR INDIVIDUA L USE, INCLUDING A SMARTPHO NE, 5
101		-	TABLET, LAPTOP, SMARTWATCH , OR ANY OTHER ELECTRO NIC DEVICE THAT IS 6
102		-	CAPABLE OF CONNECTIN G TO A SMARTPHONE OR A CELLULAR OR WI–FI NETWORK. 7
103		-
104		-	(B) THE DEPARTMENT , IN COLLABORATION WITH S TAKEHOLDERS , SHALL 8
105		-	DEVELOP GUIDELINES F OR A POLICY ON STUDE NT USE OF PERSONAL E LECTRONIC 9
106		-	DEVICES DURING SCHOO L HOURS, INCLUDING: 10
107		-
108		-	(1) MODEL POLICY OPTIONS FOR COUNTY BOARDS TO USE IN THE 11
109		-	DEVELOPMENT OF A POL ICY; 12
110		-
111		-	(2) CONSIDERATIONS FOR STUDENTS IN DIFF ERENT GRADE LEVELS ; 13
112		-
113		-	(3) CONSIDERATIONS FOR LE GAL EXEMPTIONS AND 14
114		-	ACCOMMODATIONS FOR S TUDENTS; AND 15
115		-
116		-	(4) RECOMMENDATIONS ON TH E LIMITATION OF STUD ENT USE OF 16
117		-	PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICES DURING SCHOO L HOURS. 17
118		-
119		-	(C) (1) THE DEPARTMENT , IN COLLABORATION WITH S TAKEHOLDERS , 18
120		-	MAY PERIODICALLY UPD ATE THE GUIDELINES D EVELOPED UNDER SUBSE CTION (B) 19
121		-	OF THIS SECTION. 20
122		-
123		-	(2) THE DEPARTMENT MAY : 21
124		-
125		-	(I) COLLECT INFORMATION O N EACH COUNTY BOARD ’S 22
126		-	PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICE USE POLICY ; AND 23
127		-
128		-	(II) USE THE INFORMATION COLL ECTED TO DEVELOP BES T 24
129		-	PRACTICES AND INFORM THE PERIODIC REVIEW OF THE GUIDELINES . 25
130		-
131		-	(D) (1) EACH COUNTY BOARD , IN CONSULTATION WITH PARENTS, 26
132		-	TEACHERS, STUDENTS, AND SCHOOL PERSONNEL , SHALL DEVELOP AND AD OPT A 27
133		-	POLICY THAT LIMITS A STUDENT FROM USING A PER SONAL ELECTRONIC DEV ICE 28
134		-	DURING SCHOOL HOURS . 29
135		-
136		-	(2) THE POLICY ADOPTED UN DER THIS SUBSECTION SHALL: 30
137		-
138		-	(I) PROVIDE EXCEPTIONS : 31 4 SENATE BILL 130
	46	+	(3) “INSTRUCTIONAL TIME ” MEANS ANY TIME DURIN G THE SCHOOL 21
	47	+	DAY, EXCEPT A STUDENT ’S LUNCH PERIOD . 22 2 SENATE BILL 130
139	48
140	49
141	50
142		-	1. FOR ANY PURPOSE DOCUM ENTED IN A STUDENT ’S 1
143		-	INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCA TION PROGRAM OR SECTION 504 PLAN; 2
	51	+	(B) EACH COUNTY BOARD SHA LL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A POLICY TO 1
	52	+	PROHIBIT THE USE OF A CELLULAR DEVICE BY STUDENTS DURING INSTRUCTIONAL 2
	53	+	TIME. 3
144	54
145		-	~~2. TO MONITOR OR ADDRESS A STUDENT ’S~~ 3
146		-	~~DOCUMENTED HEALTH IS SUE;~~ ~~OR 4~~
	55	+	(C) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (D) OF THIS SECTION, THE 4
	56	+	POLICY DEVELOPED UND ER THIS SECTION SHALL: 5
147	57
148		-	~~3. WHEN DIRECTED BY AN E~~ ~~DUCATOR OR 5~~
149		-	~~ADMINISTRATOR FOR ED UCATIONAL PURPOSES~~ ; 6
	58	+	(1) PROHIBIT A STUDENT FR OM USING A CELLULAR DEVICE DURING 6
	59	+	INSTRUCTIONAL TIME ; AND 7
150	60
151		-	(II) BE PRINTED IN THE STU DENT HANDBOOK ; 7
	61	+	(2) REQUIRE A STUDENT TO STORE THE STUDENT ’S CELLULAR 8
	62	+	DEVICE IN A SECURE STORAGE CONTAINER. 9
152	63
153		-	(III) BE PROVIDED TO SCHOOL STAFF AND PERSONNEL ; AND 8
	64	+	(D) THE POLICY DEVELOPED UNDER THIS SECTION M AY NOT PROHIBIT A 10
	65	+	STUDENT FROM USING A CELLULAR DEVICE: 11
154	66
155		-	(IV) BE REVIEWED AND UPDAT ED EVERY 2 YEARS. 9
	67	+	(1) FOR ANY PURPOSE DOCUM ENTED IN A STUDENT’S 12
	68	+	INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCA TION PROGRAM OR SECTION 504 PLAN; 13
156	69
157		-	~~SECTION 2.~~ ~~AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED,~~ That ~~this Act shall take effect July 10~~
158		-	~~1, 2025.~~ 11
	70	+	(2) TO MONITOR OR ADDRESS A STUDENT’S HEALTH ISSUE THAT HAS 14
	71	+	BEEN DOCUMENT ED BY A LICENSED MEDICAL P ROFESSIONAL ; OR 15
159	72
	73	+	(3) FOR EDUCATION PURPOSE S WHEN DIRECTED BY AN EDUCA TOR 16
	74	+	OR ADMINISTRATOR . 17
160	75
	76	+	(E) THE POLICY DEVELOPED UNDER THIS SECTION S HALL INCLUDE 18
	77	+	APPROPRIATE DISCIPLINARY MEASURES FOR VIOLATI ONS OF THE POLICY . 19
161	78
	79	+	(F) EACH COUNTY BOARD SHA LL NOTIFY STUDENTS , PARENTS AND 20
	80	+	GUARDIANS, AND SCHOOL PERSONNEL OF THE POLICY DEVELOPED AND 21
	81	+	IMPLEMENTED UNDER THIS SECTION . 22
162	82
163		-	Approved:
164		-	________________________________________________________________________________
165		-	Governor.
166		-	________________________________________________________________________________
167		-	President of the Senate.
168		-	________________________________________________________________________________
169		-	Speaker of the House of Delegates.
	83	+	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 23
	84	+	1, 2025. 24