SB738
Public elementary & secondary schools; bell-to-bell student cell phone & smart device possession.
Status:
Passed
Latest Action:
April 2, 2025
Governor's recommendation adopted
Chief Patron:
Stella Pekarsky (D)
Session:
2025 Regular Session
Summary
As Introduced. Public elementary and secondary schools; student discipline; student cell phone possession and use policies; development and implementation.
Directs each school board to develop and each public elementary and secondary school to implement age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate policies relating to the possession and use of cell phones by students on school property during regular school hours. The bill requires such policies to (i) restrict, to the fullest extent ... (More) possible, student cell phone possession and use in the classroom during regular school hours; (ii) aim to reduce or prevent any distraction in or disruption to the learning environment, including bullying or harassment, that could be caused or facilitated by student cell phone possession and use on school property during regular school hours; (iii) ensure that implementation and enforcement of the policy is the responsibility of the administration, minimizes, to the extent possible, any conflict with the instructional responsibilities of teachers or any disruption to instructional time, and does not involve any school resource officer; (iv) include exceptions to such policies permitting any student, pursuant to an Individualized Education Plan or Section 504 Plan or if otherwise deemed appropriate by the school board, to possess and use a cell phone on school property, including in the classroom, during regular school hours to monitor or address a health concern; and (v) expressly prohibit any student from being suspended, expelled, or removed from class as a consequence of any violation of such policies. Finally, the bill clarifies that (a) no violation of any such student cell phone possession and use policy shall alone constitute (1) sufficient cause for a student's suspension or expulsion from attendance at school or (2) disruptive behavior authorizing a teacher to remove a student from class and (b) that any such violation that involves, coincides with, or results in an instance of disruptive behavior, as that term is defined in applicable law, shall be addressed in accordance with the regulations on codes of student conduct adopted by each school board pursuant to applicable law. (Less)-
Bill History
- 09/18/2024 - Senate: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25100096D
- 09/18/2024 - Senate: Referred to Committee on Education and Health
- 01/16/2025 - Senate: Assigned Education sub: Public Education
- 01/23/2025 - Senate: Committee substitute printed 25105124D-S1
- 01/23/2025 - Senate: Reported from Education and Health with substitute (9-Y 6-N)
- 01/24/2025 - Senate: Rules suspended
- 01/24/2025 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (37-Y 0-N)
- 01/24/2025 - Senate: Passed by for the day
- 01/27/2025 - Senate: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB738)
- 01/27/2025 - Senate: Read second time
- 01/27/2025 - Senate: Reading of substitute waived
- 01/27/2025 - Senate: Education and Health Substitute agreed to
- 01/27/2025 - Senate: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute
- 01/28/2025 - Senate: Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 18-N) Close Floor Vote
- 02/03/2025 - House: Read first time
- 02/03/2025 - House: Placed on Calendar
- 02/03/2025 - House: Referred to Committee on Education
- 02/04/2025 - House: Placed on Education Agenda
- 02/05/2025 - House: Committee substitute printed 25106766D-H1
- 02/05/2025 - House: Reported from Education with substitute (14-Y 6-N)
- 02/06/2025 - Senate: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB738)
- 02/07/2025 - House: Read second time
- 02/10/2025 - House: Read third time
- 02/10/2025 - House: Education Substitute agreed to
- 02/10/2025 - House: Engrossed by House - committee substitute
- 02/10/2025 - House: Passed House with substitute (67-Y 28-N)
- 02/12/2025 - Senate: House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 37-N)
- 02/13/2025 - House: House insisted on substitute
- 02/13/2025 - House: House requested conference committee
- 02/17/2025 - Senate: Senate acceded to request (39-Y 0-N)
- 02/17/2025 - Senate: Conferees appointed by Senate
- 02/17/2025 - Senate: Senators: Pekarsky, Hashmi, Pillion
- 02/18/2025 - House: Conferees appointed by House
- 02/18/2025 - House: Delegates: Rasoul, Cousins, Green
- 02/20/2025 - Amended by conference committee
- 02/20/2025 - Senate: Conference substitute printed 25107823D-S2
- 02/21/2025 - House: Conference report agreed to by House (73-Y 23-N)
- 02/21/2025 - Senate: Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N) Close Floor Vote
- 03/07/2025 - Senate: Enrolled
- 03/07/2025 - Senate: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB738ER)
- 03/07/2025 - Senate: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB738)
- 03/07/2025 - House: Signed by Speaker
- 03/10/2025 - Senate: Signed by President
- 03/11/2025 - Senate: Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on March 11, 2025
- 03/11/2025 - Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025
- 03/24/2025 - Governor's recommendation received by Senate
- 03/24/2025 - Senate: Governor's substitute printed (SB738S3)
- 04/02/2025 - Senate: Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (40-Y 0-N)
- 04/02/2025 - House: House concurred in Governor's recommendation (91-Y 2-N)
- 04/02/2025 - Governor's recommendation adopted
