Read the full stored bill text
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
Italics indicate opposite chamber/conference committee amendments.
*hb0525*
HOUSE BILL 525
F1 (6lr0765)
ENROLLED BILL
— Ways and Means/Education, Energy, and the Environment —
Introduced by Delegates Boafo, Wu, Wolek, Kaufman, Moreno, Schindler, Solomon,
and Taylor Taylor, Ebersole, Griffith, Hartman, Hornberger, R. Long,
Mireku–North, Patterson, Vogel, and Wims
Read and Examined by Proofreaders:
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
Sealed with the Great Seal and presented to the Governor, for his approval this
_______ day of _______________ at ________________________ o’clock, ________M.
______________________________________________
Speaker.
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
County Boards of Education – Student Electronic Communication Device Use 2
Policy – Establishment 3
(Maryland Phone–Free Schools Act) 4
(Joanne C. Benson Maryland Phone–Free Schools Act) 5
FOR the purpose of requiring each county board of education to develop and implement, 6
not later than a certain school year, a policy limiting prohibiting the use of an 7
electronic communication device by a student during the school day except under 8
certain circumstances; and generally relating to county boards of education and a 9
student electronic communication device use policy. 10
BY adding to 11
Article – Education 12
2 HOUSE BILL 525
Section 7–137 1
Annotated Code of Maryland 2
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 3
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 4
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 5
Article – Education 6
7–137. 7
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 8
INDICATED. 9
(2) “ACADEMIC SCHOOL DAY ” MEANS ANY STRUCTURED OR 10
UNSTRUCTURED LEARNIN G EXPERIENCE THAT OC CURS FROM WHEN THE F IRST 11
BELL RINGS AT THE START OF THE SCHOOL DAY UNTIL THE DISMISSAL BELL RINGS 12
AT THE END OF THE SC HOOL DAY, INCLUDING INSTRUCTIONAL PERIODS, LUNCH, 13
RECESS, PASSING PERIODS, AND TRANSITIONAL PERIODS. 14
(3) (I) “ELECTRONIC COMMUNICAT ION DEVICE ” MEANS ANY 15
PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE CARRIED OR TR ANSPORTED BY A STUDE NT TO 16
RECEIVE, SEND, OR RECORD VOICE , IMAGE, OR TEXT CONTENT , INCLUDING CELL 17
PHONES, TABLETS, LAPTOPS, SMART WATCHES , WIRELESS EARBUDS OR 18
HEADPHONES, GEOLOCATION DEVICES , AND ANY OTHER DEVICE WITH 19
COMMUNICATION FUNCTIONS. 20
(II) “ELECTRONIC COMMUNICAT ION DEVICE ” DOES NOT 21
INCLUDE AN ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICE PROVIDED BY A COUNTY BOARD 22
FOR INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSES. 23
(4) “SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM ” MEANS AN INTERNET–BASED 24
APPLICATION, WEBSITE, OR DIGITAL SERVICE T HAT ENABLES USERS TO CREATE, 25
SHARE, OR VIEW CONTENT OR T O INTERACT WITH OTHE R USERS THROUGH 26
PROFILES, ACCOUNTS, FEEDS, MESSAGING, COMMENTS, REACTIONS, OR SIMILAR 27
SOCIAL FEATU RES, AND THAT IS PRIMARIL Y DESIGNED TO FACILI TATE SOCIAL 28
INTERACTION, USER–GENERATED CONTENT , OR CONTENT DISTRIBUT ION TO A 29
BROAD OR SEMI–PUBLIC AUDIENCE. 30
(4) (5) “STORE” MEANS TO SECURE IN A MANNER DETERMINED BY 31
THE COUNTY BOARD TO ENSURE THE ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICE IS NOT 32
CARRIED ON THE STUDENT’S PERSON DURING THE ACADEMIC SCHOOL DAY. 33
HOUSE BILL 525 3
(B) THIS SECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO THE MARYLAND SCHOOL FOR THE 1
BLIND OR THE MARYLAND SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF. 2
(B) (C) NOT LATER THAN THE 2027–2028 SCHOOL YEAR, EACH COUNTY 3
BOARD SHALL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A POLICY TO LIMIT PROHIBIT THE USE OF 4
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICA TION DEVICES BY STUD ENTS DURING THE ACAD EMIC 5
SCHOOL DAY. 6
(C) (D) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (D) (E) OF THIS SECTION, 7
THE POLICY DEVELOPED UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL: 8
(1) PROHIBIT A STUDENT FR OM USING AN ELECTRON IC 9
COMMUNICATION DEVICE DURING THE ACADEMIC SCHOOL DAY; 10
(2) REQUIRE A STUDENT TO STORE THE STUDENT ’S ELECTRONIC 11
COMMUNICATION DEVICE DURING THE ACADEMIC SCHOOL DAY; 12
(3) PROHIBIT A STUDENT FR OM USING THE SOCIAL MED IA 13
APPLICATIONS AND SOCIAL MEDIA WEBSITES DETERMINED BY THE COUNTY BOARD 14
ACCESSING OR USING A SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM DURING THE ACADEMIC SCHOOL 15
DAY; AND 16
(4) REQUIRE ADMINISTRATOR APPROVAL FOR THE USE O F A 17
PERSONAL ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICE FOR EDUCATIONAL PURP OSES 18
WHEN A SCHOOL–ISSUED ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICE IS UNAVAILABLE. 19
(D) (E) THE POLICY DEVELOPED UNDER THIS SECTION M AY NOT 20
PROHIBIT A STUDENT FROM USING AN ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICE: 21
(1) FOR A STUDENT WITH A DIS ABILITY, FOR REASONABLE 22
ACCOMMODATIONS RELAT ED TO A DISABILITY , INCLUDING FOR ANY PURPOSE 23
DOCUMENTED IN THE STUDENT ’S INDIVIDUALIZED EDU CATION PROGRAM OR 504 24
PLAN; 25
(2) TO MONITOR OR ADDRESS A STUDENT ’S DOCUMENTED HEALTH 26
ISSUE; 27
(3) DURING AN EMERGENCY E VENT, IF EXPRESSLY AUTHORI ZED BY 28
AN ADMINISTRATOR; 29
(4) (3) WHEN DIRECTED BY AN A DMINISTRATOR FOR 30
EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES INSTRUCTOR TO BE USED AS PART OF A LESSON; 31
4 HOUSE BILL 525
(5) (4) (3) TO ACCESS LANGUAGE TRANSLATION TOOLS TO ENSURE 1
EDUCATIONAL EQUITY F OR MULTILINGUAL STUD ENTS WHEN SCHOOL –ISSUED 2
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICES ARE NOT AVAILABLE OR SUFFICIENT FOR 3
THIS PURPOSE; OR 4
(6) (5) (4) FOR THE PURPOSE OF ME ETING CAREGIVING 5
RESPONSIBILITIES, AS APPROVED BY A PRINCIPAL. 6
(E) (F) EACH COUNTY BOARD SHALL: 7
(1) ENGAGE PARENTS , STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, AND COMMUNITY 8
STAKEHOLDERS IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND REVISION OF THE POLICY, INCLUDING 9
DETERMINING ENFORCEMENT OF THE POLICY; AND 10
(2) PUBLISH AND MAKE THE POLICY AVAI LABLE IN MULTIPLE 11
LANGUAGES IN STUDENT HANDBOOKS, ON THE SCHOOL ’S AND COUNTY BOARD ’S 12
WEBSITES, AND AT SCHOOL EVENTS. 13
(F) (G) (1) A POLICY DEVELOPED UND ER THIS SECTION SHAL L 14
INCLUDE APPROPRIATE DISCIPLINARY MEASURES FOR VIOLATIONS OF THE POLICY. 15
(2) THE DISCIPLINARY MEASURES ADOPTED UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) 16
OF THIS SUBSECTION SHALL BE TIERED DISCIPLINARY MEASURES ENFORCED BY AN 17
ADMINISTRATOR. 18
(3) A DISCIPLINARY MEASURE ADOPTED UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF 19
THIS SUBSECTION MAY NOT INCLUDE SUSP ENSION OR EXPULSION SOLELY FOR A 20
VIOLATION OF THE POLICY. 21
(G) (H) ON OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER 1, 2027, AND EACH SEPTEMBER 1 22
UNTIL SEPTEMBER 1, 2032, EACH COUNTY BOARD SHALL SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE 23
DEPARTMENT ON THE IMPACTS OF TH E IMPLEMENTATION A COPY OF THE 24
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICAT ION DEVICE POLICY IN THE LOCAL SCHOOL SYS TEM 25
IMPLEMENTED UNDER THIS SECTION, INCLUDING: 26
(1) A COPY OF THE CURRENT ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICE 27
POLICY THAT DESCRIBES: DESCRIPTION OF THE POLICY’S: 28
(I) STORAGE AND SECURITY REQUIREMENTS AND ANY 29
RELATED GRADE–LEVEL DIFFERENTIATIONS ESTABLISHED IN THE POLICY; 30
HOUSE BILL 525 5
(II) GRADE–LEVEL DIFFERENTIATIO N DISCIPLINE MEASURES 1
AND ANY RELATED GRAD E–LEVEL DIFFERENTIATIO NS ESTABLISHED IN TH E 2
POLICY; 3
(III) INSTRUCTIONAL USE PROTOCOLS; AND 4
(IV) EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION PLANS; AND 5
(2) DOCUMENTATION OF STAK EHOLDER ENGAGEMENT ; IN THE 6
DEVELOPMENT OF THE POLICY. 7
(3) COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT DATA, INCLUDING: 8
(I) RELATED DISCIPLINARY REFERRALS, DISAGGREGATED BY 9
STUDENT DEMOGRAPHIC SUBGROUPS; AND 10
(II) THE USE OF RESTORATIV E PRACTICES AS A DIS CIPLINARY 11
MEASURE, IF USED; 12
(4) DESCRIPTION OF THE IM PACTS ON THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT, 13
IF ANY, INCLUDING SURVEY DAT A FROM STUDENTS , TEACHERS, AND PARENTS ON 14
FOCUS, WELL–BEING, AND SATISFACTION FOLLOWING POLICY IMPLEMENTATION; 15
(5) EQUITY AND ACCOMMODAT ION DATA , INCLUDING THE NUMBER 16
AND TYPE OF EXEMPTIONS TO THE POLICY GRANTED BY A SCHOOL; AND 17
(6) ANTICIPATED POLICY RE VISIONS FOR THE UPCO MING SCHOOL 18
YEAR, IF ANY. 19
(H) (I) ON OR BEFORE JULY DECEMBER 1, 2028, AND EACH JULY 1 20
UNTIL JULY 1, 2033, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PUBL ISH ON THE DEPARTMENT’S 21
WEBSITE A REPORT THA T COMPILES AND SUMMARIZES THE R EPORTS OF THE 22
COUNTY BOARDS ON THE IMPACTS OF IMPLEMENT ING THE ELECTRONIC 23
COMMUNICATION DEVICE POLICIES OF EACH COUNTY BOARD SUBMITTED TO THE 24
DEPARTMENT UNDER SUBSECTION (G) (H) OF THIS SECTION, INCLUDING: 25
(1) THE DATA SUBMITTED BY THE COUNTY BOARDS TO THE 26
DEPARTMENT; 27
(2) ENFORCEMENT CHALLENGES; AND 28
(3) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND MODEL POLICIES. 29
6 HOUSE BILL 525
(I) (J) (1) EACH COUNTY BOARD SHA LL SEND TO THE DEPARTMENT 1
AN UPDATED COPY OF T HE ELECTRONIC COMMUN ICATION DEVICE POLIC Y 2
DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED UNDER THIS SECTION. 3
(2) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PUBL ISH ON ITS WEBSITE A COPY OF 4
EACH COUNTY BOARD’S ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICE POLICY SUBMITTED 5
UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION. 6
(J) (K) (1) ON OR BEFORE JULY 30, 2028, AND EACH JULY 30 UNTIL 7
JULY 30, 2033, EACH COUNTY BOARD SH ALL SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE 8
DEPARTMENT ON THE IMPA CTS OF THE IMPLEMENT ATION OF THE ELECTRO NIC 9
COMMUNICATION DEVICE POLICY, INCLUDING: 10
(I) COMPLIANCE AND ENFORC EMENT DATA , INCLUDING 11
RELATED DISCIPLINARY REFERRALS DISAGGREGATED BY STUDENT DEMOGRAPHIC 12
SUBGROUPS; AND 13
(II) EQUITY AN D ACCOMMODATION DATA , INCLUDING THE 14
NUMBER AND TYPES OF EXEMPTIONS TO THE POLICY GRANTED BY SCHOOLS IN THE 15
COUNTY. 16
(2) THE DEPARTMENT, IN CONSULTATION WITH LOCAL SCHOOL 17
SYSTEMS, SHALL DETERMINE THE BEST METHOD TO SUBMI T THE INFORMATION 18
REQUIRED UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION T O THE DEPARTMENT, 19
INCLUDING WITHIN EXISTING REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. 20
(K) (L) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ADOPT REGULATIONS TO IMP LEMENT 21
THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION. 22
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 23
1, 2026. 24
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.