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132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 170H.P. 103House of Representatives, January 14, 2025
Resolve, Establishing a Pilot Program to Reduce Personal Electronic
Device Distractions During the School Day
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative MATHIESON of Kittery.
Cosponsored by Senator BRENNER of Cumberland and
Representatives: KUHN of Falmouth, SARGENT of York. Page 1 - 132LR0317(01)1 That the Department of
2 Education, referred to in this resolve as "the department," shall establish a pilot program to
3 reduce student use of personal electronic devices during the school day by awarding one-
4 time funding to one or more school administrative units for the cost of implementing during
5 the 2026-2027 school year a policy that requires all student personal electronic devices to
6 be turned off, securely locked away and inaccessible to students for the duration of the
7 school day. The total funding for the pilot program may not exceed $250,000. The
8 department shall develop an application process and provide minimum standards for a
9 personal electronic device policy, a description of eligible uses of pilot program funding, a
10 list of preapproved, evidence-based technology solutions that includes but is not limited to
11 cellular telephone pouches, a description of data that a school administrative unit must
12 report to the department, resources for stakeholder outreach, criteria for prioritizing the
13 awarding of funding and a method for determining the amount of funding a school
14 administrative unit may receive. The department shall begin accepting applications by
15 November 1, 2025 and notify applicants of a decision by April 1, 2026.
16 That a
17 personal electronic device policy developed pursuant to section 1 must include a provision
18 that exempts a student from the personal electronic device policy if a licensed physician
19 determines that the use of a personal electronic device is necessary for the health or well-
20 being of the student or if an individualized education plan requires the possession or use of
21 a personal electronic device by the student.
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23 That the Maine Education Policy Research Institute shall support the
24 department in developing an application form for the pilot program under section 1 and
25 provide the department by October 1, 2025 a list of possible evidence-based technology
26 solutions and a pilot program evaluation plan that a school administrative unit participating
27 in the pilot program shall use to collect and report data. The pilot program evaluation plan
28 must include, but is not limited to, changes in school climate or student mental health,
29 behavioral incidences, overall academic performance and teacher, student, administrator
30 and other stakeholder perceptions on the effect of the personal electronic device policy
31 developed pursuant to section 1.
32 That the Maine Education Policy Research Institute
33 shall, within existing resources, evaluate the pilot program results based on the data
34 collected pursuant to section 3 and issue a preliminary report no later than November 4,
35 2026 and a final report no later than December 1, 2027 to the joint standing committee of
36 the Legislature having jurisdiction over education matters. The joint standing committee
37 may report out a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 133rd Legislature.
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39 This resolve requires the Department of Education to establish a pilot program to
40 reduce student use of personal electronic devices during the school day by awarding one-
41 time funding to one or more school administrative units for the cost of implementing a
42 policy during the 2026-2027 school year that requires all student personal electronic
43 devices to be turned off, securely locked away and inaccessible to students during the
44 school day. The total amount of funding for the pilot program may not exceed $250,000.
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44 Page 2 - 132LR0317(01)
45 The resolve also directs the Maine Education Policy Research Institute to support the
46 department in developing an application form and provide the department with a list of
47 possible evidence-based technology solutions and a pilot program evaluation plan. The
48 resolve directs the Maine Education Policy Research Institute to submit a preliminary
49 report by November 4, 2026 and a final report by December 1, 2027 to the joint standing
50 committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education matters.
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