Senate Passes Bill to Keep Cellphones Out of Schools

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Senate on Wednesday easily passed legislation from Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore, to permanently keep cellphones out of Oklahoma schools.

In a vote of 41-5, the full Senate passed House Bill 1276 to extend the state’s requirement that every public school district have a "bell to bell" policy prohibiting students from having cellphones in school.

“When I first introduced legislation to limit cellphones in schools three years ago, I never could have imagined this small change would have such a big impact across Oklahoma,” said Seifried, vice chair of the Senate Education Committee. “Students are reinvested in their studies and more engaged in the classroom. They’re also checking out more library books and socializing like normal kids again. I’ve heard success stories from every corner of the state. Parents, students and educators have been overwhelmingly clear that our Bell to Bell, No Cell policy works, and they don’t want it going anywhere.”

Oklahoma is among more than three dozen states requiring schools to prohibit or restrict student cellphone use during the day. The vast majority of those states require schools to implement “bell to bell” policies. 

Rep. Chad Caldwell, R-Enid, is the primary author of HB 1276. He is the chair of the House Education Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee and vice chair of the House Education Oversight Committee.

“The results speak for themselves, and this legislation ensures we protect what we know is already working,” Caldwell said. “By keeping distractions out of the classroom, we’re giving students the opportunity to focus, learn and fully engage in their education every single day.”

HB 1276 now returns to the House for final consideration before it is eligible to advance to the governor’s desk.