Rhode Island 2025 Regular Session

Rhode Island Senate Bill S0771 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3
4	4
5	5	2025 -- S 0771
6	6	========
7	7	LC001681
8	8	========
9	9	S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
12	12	____________
13	13
14	14	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO EDUCATION -- HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PUPILS
16	16	Introduced By: Senators Murray, Thompson, DiPalma, Acosta, and Urso
17	17	Date Introduced: March 14, 2025
18	18	Referred To: Senate Education
19	19
20	20
21	21	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
22	22	SECTION 1. Chapter 16-21 of the General Laws entitled "Health and Safety of Pupils" is 1
23	23	hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 2
24	24	16-21-43. Policy on use of personal electronic devices in schools. 3
25	25	(a)(1) Each public school shall have a policy regarding the use of personal electronic 4
26	26	devices on school grounds and during school-sponsored activities to reduce distractions, maintain 5
27	27	environments focused on learning and protect the privacy and safety of students and staff. Each 6
28	28	public school shall notify the parents or guardians of all students attending the school of the policy. 7
29	29	The policy shall include, but not be limited to, a prohibition on physical access to a personal 8
30	30	electronic device by students during the school day as defined by the department of education and 9
31	31	the commission of elementary and secondary education pursuant to §§ 16-2-2 and 16-2-9 and any 10
32	32	regulations promulgated thereunder including, but not limited to, 200-RICR-20-05-1. 11
33	33	(2) The district shall make exceptions for student personal device use that provide access 12
34	34	to assistive technology necessary to comply with individualized student 504 plans, individualized 13
35	35	education plans (IEP), medical needs such as glucose monitoring, and/or a plan to support emergent 14
36	36	multilingual learners (MLL) students with appropriate language access programs and services to 15
37	37	ensure the provision of appropriate, meaningful public education. The allowable exceptions shall 16
38	38	be written into the student's identified plan and approved by the appropriate team or coordinator. 17
39	39	(3) Students provided an exception to this policy shall not be segregated from students 18
40	40	without such exception. Exceptions shall also be made in the event of an emergency. 19
41	41
42	42
43	43	LC001681 - Page 2 of 3
44	44	(b) For the purposes of this section, a “personal electronic device” means a smartphone, 1
45	45	mobile phone, tablet, computer, smartwatch or other electronic device not owned or provided to a 2
46	46	student by a public school that is capable of communication through the Internet or a wireless 3
47	47	network. 4
48	48	(c) The policy and any standards and rules enforcing the policy shall be prescribed by the 5
49	49	school committee in conjunction with the superintendent or the board of trustees of a charter school 6
50	50	and in consultation with any collective bargaining agents that represent school staff. The policy 7
51	51	shall be enforced consistently by school administration, be systematic in nature, and should 8
52	52	minimize the potential for conflict between students, parents, educators, and staff. 9
53	53	(d) The department of elementary and secondary education shall, in consultation with the 10
54	54	attorney general’s office and the department of public health, provide guidance and 11
55	55	recommendations to assist schools with developing and implementing effective policies regarding 12
56	56	the use of personal electronic devices on school grounds and during school-sponsored activities 13
57	57	consistent with this section and shall make such guidance and recommendations publicly available 14
58	58	on the department's website. Guidance and recommendations shall be reviewed annually and 15
59	59	regularly updated to reflect applicable research and best practices. 16
60	60	(e) Each school district and charter school shall file its school personal electronic device 17
61	61	use policy with the department of elementary and secondary education in a manner and form 18
62	62	prescribed by the department. 19
63	63	SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on August 1, 2026. 20
64	64	========
65	65	LC001681
66	66	========
67	67
68	68
69	69	LC001681 - Page 3 of 3
70	70	EXPLANATION
71	71	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
72	72	OF
73	73	A N A C T
74	74	RELATING TO EDUCATION -- HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PUPILS
75	75	***
76	76	This act would require every public school district to have a policy regarding the use of 1
77	77	personal electronic devices on school grounds and during school-sponsored activities to reduce 2
78	78	distractions and maintain environments focused on learning. The act would also enable school 3
79	79	districts to make exceptions to the policy. 4
80	80	This act would take effect on August 1, 2026. 5
81	81	========
82	82	LC001681
83	83	========
84	84