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.
*sb0130*
SENATE BILL 130
F1 5lr0757
(PRE–FILED)
By: Senator Benson Senators Benson, Attar, Augustine, Brooks, Feldman, Hester,
Waldstreicher, M. Washington, and Watson
Requested: September 5, 2024
Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: February 27, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
County Boards of Education – Student Cellular Device Use Policy – Established 2
Education – Student Personal Electronic Device Use Policy – Required 3
FOR the purpose of requiring each county board of education to develop and implement a 4
policy that prohibits students from using a cellular device during the school day 5
except under certain circumstances; and generally relating to county boards of 6
education and student cellular device use policy requiring the State Department of 7
Education to develop guidelines for a policy on student use of personal electronic 8
devices during school hours; requiring county boards of education, in consultation 9
with students, parents, teachers, and school personnel, to develop and adopt a policy 10
that limits students from using personal electronic devices during school hours 11
except under certain circumstances; and generally relating to county boards of 12
education and a personal electronic device use policy for students. 13
BY adding to 14
Article – Education 15
Section 4–147 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 18
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 19
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 20
2 SENATE BILL 130
Article – Education 1
4–147. 2
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 3
INDICATED. 4
(2) “CELLULAR DEVICE ” MEANS ANY PORTABLE , WIRELESS 5
COMMUNICATION DEVICE , INCLUDING A SMARTPHO NE, TABLET, OR WEARABLE 6
DEVICE. 7
(3) “INSTRUCTIONAL TIME ” MEANS ANY TIME DURIN G THE SCHOOL 8
DAY, EXCEPT A STUDENT ’S LUNCH PERIOD . 9
(B) EACH COUNTY BOARD SHA LL DEVELOP AND IMPLE MENT A POLICY TO 10
PROHIBIT THE USE OF A CELLULAR DEVICE BY STUDENTS DURING INST RUCTIONAL 11
TIME. 12
(C) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (D) OF THIS SECTION , THE 13
POLICY DEVEL OPED UNDER THIS SECT ION SHALL: 14
(1) PROHIBIT A STUDENT FR OM USING A CELLULAR DEVICE DURING 15
INSTRUCTIONAL TIME ; AND 16
(2) REQUIRE A STUDENT TO STORE THE STUDENT ’S CELLULAR 17
DEVICE IN A SECURE S TORAGE CONTAINER . 18
(D) THE POLICY DEVELOPED UNDER THIS SECTIO N MAY NOT PROHIBIT A 19
STUDENT FROM USING A CELLULAR DEVICE : 20
(1) FOR ANY PURPOSE DOCUM ENTED IN A STUDENT ’S 21
INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCA TION PROGRAM OR SECTION 504 PLAN; 22
(2) TO MONITOR OR ADDRESS A STUDENT’S HEALTH ISSUE THAT HAS 23
BEEN DOCUMENTED BY A LICENSED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL ; OR 24
(3) FOR EDUCATION PURPOSE S WHEN DIRECTED BY A N EDUCATOR 25
OR ADMINISTRATOR . 26
(E) THE POLICY DEVELOPED UNDER THIS SECTION S HALL INCLUDE 27
APPROPRIATE DISCIPLI NARY MEASURES FOR VI OLATIONS OF THE POLI CY. 28
SENATE BILL 130 3
(F) EACH COUNTY BOARD SHA LL NOTIFY STUDENTS , PARENTS AND 1
GUARDIANS, AND SCHOOL PERSONNEL OF THE POLICY DEVELO PED AND 2
IMPLEMENTED UNDER TH IS SECTION. 3
(A) IN THIS SECTION , “PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICE” MEANS ANY 4
PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE FOR INDIVIDUA L USE, INCLUDING A SMARTPHO NE, 5
TABLET, LAPTOP, SMARTWATCH , OR ANY OTHER ELECTRO NIC DEVICE THAT IS 6
CAPABLE OF CONNECTIN G TO A SMARTPHONE OR A CELLULAR OR WI–FI NETWORK. 7
(B) THE DEPARTMENT , IN COLLABORATION WITH S TAKEHOLDERS , SHALL 8
DEVELOP GUIDELINES F OR A POLICY ON STUDE NT USE OF PERSONAL E LECTRONIC 9
DEVICES DURING SCHOO L HOURS, INCLUDING: 10
(1) MODEL POLICY OPTIONS FOR COUNTY BOARDS TO USE IN THE 11
DEVELOPMENT OF A POL ICY; 12
(2) CONSIDERATIONS FOR STUDENTS IN DIFF ERENT GRADE LEVELS ; 13
(3) CONSIDERATIONS FOR LE GAL EXEMPTIONS AND 14
ACCOMMODATIONS FOR S TUDENTS; AND 15
(4) RECOMMENDATIONS ON TH E LIMITATION OF STUD ENT USE OF 16
PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICES DURING SCHOO L HOURS. 17
(C) (1) THE DEPARTMENT , IN COLLABORATION WITH S TAKEHOLDERS , 18
MAY PERIODICALLY UPD ATE THE GUIDELINES D EVELOPED UNDER SUBSE CTION (B) 19
OF THIS SECTION. 20
(2) THE DEPARTMENT MAY : 21
(I) COLLECT INFORMATION O N EACH COUNTY BOARD ’S 22
PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICE USE POLICY ; AND 23
(II) USE THE INFORMATION COLL ECTED TO DEVELOP BES T 24
PRACTICES AND INFORM THE PERIODIC REVIEW OF THE GUIDELINES . 25
(D) (1) EACH COUNTY BOARD , IN CONSULTATION WITH PARENTS, 26
TEACHERS, STUDENTS, AND SCHOOL PERSONNEL , SHALL DEVELOP AND AD OPT A 27
POLICY THAT LIMITS A STUDENT FROM USING A PER SONAL ELECTRONIC DEV ICE 28
DURING SCHOOL HOURS . 29
(2) THE POLICY ADOPTED UN DER THIS SUBSECTION SHALL: 30
(I) PROVIDE EXCEPTIONS : 31 4 SENATE BILL 130
1. FOR ANY PURPOSE DOCUM ENTED IN A STUDENT ’S 1
INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCA TION PROGRAM OR SECTION 504 PLAN; 2
2. TO MONITOR OR ADDRESS A STUDENT ’S 3
DOCUMENTED HEALTH IS SUE; OR 4
3. WHEN DIRECTED BY AN E DUCATOR OR 5
ADMINISTRATOR FOR ED UCATIONAL PURPOSES ; 6
(II) BE PRINTED IN THE STU DENT HANDBOOK ; 7
(III) BE PROVIDED TO SCHOOL STAFF AND PERSONNEL ; AND 8
(IV) BE REVIEWED AND UPDAT ED EVERY 2 YEARS. 9
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 10
1, 2025. 11
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.