The first major bill that is gaining tracking with the Oklahoma legislature is House Bill 1276, known as the “cell phone bill.”
The bill, titled “Bell to Bell: No Cell,” was authored by Rep. Chad Caldwell. HB 1276 would ban cell phone usage at school during school hours. The bill was the first to make it off the floor of the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
According to a news post on the Oklahoma House or Representative’s website, “Under HB1276, school boards could choose to allow student cell phone use but the policy must be approved annually. The bill passed the House floor with a vote of 82-9 and will now move to the Senate for further consideration.”
In the same post, Caldwell mapped out the importance of the bill.
“The research is clear – cell phone use among young students is not only bad for their mental health, but also hurts academic outcomes,” Caldwell said. “To pass legislation this meaningful this early in session with overwhelming bipartisan support is a testament to how important this issue is. Our kids and teachers deserve a phone-free environment at school and we are well on our way to making that a reality.”
The cell phone bill will be a bit discussion item this legislative session. So far, it has moved quickly through the House Common Education Committee and was already approved on the floor of the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
The Oklahoma legislative session started Feb. 3, meaning the cell phone bill moved off the House floor in 10 days. The next state will be getting the bill to move through the floor of the Oklahoma Senate, which will take place later in the legislative session.
First bills will be heard in the chamber of their origin.
According to the news post, “The legislation requires that any policy prohibiting cell phone use must also include a provision for emergency use, including items used for medical issues.”
