SB0079 • 2026

County Boards of Education - Student Technology Use Policy - Requirements

Education Technology

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Senator Benson
Last action: 2026-01-16
Official status: In the Senate - Hearing 2/04 at 2:00 p.m.
Effective date: 2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

County Boards of Education - Student Technology Use Policy - Requirements

Requiring a county board of education to develop and adopt a policy on the use of personal electronic devices during school hours; requiring the policy to restrict or limit the use of personal electronic devices by students during school hours, except for any purpose documented in the student's education program or Section 504 plan, to monitor or address a student's health issue, or for certain educational purposes; requiring the policy to be published on the county board's website and in student handbooks; etc.

What This Bill Does

Requiring a county board of education to develop and adopt a policy on the use of personal electronic devices during school hours; requiring the policy to restrict or limit the use of personal electronic devices by students during school hours, except for any purpose documented in the student's education program or Section 504 plan, to monitor or address a student's health issue, or for certain educational purposes; requiring the policy to be published on the county board's website and in student handbooks; etc.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-01-16 Senate
Hearing 2/03 at 1:00 p.m.
2026-01-16 Senate
Hearing canceled
2026-01-16 Senate
Hearing 2/04 at 2:00 p.m.
2026-01-14 Senate
First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment
2025-10-02 Senate
Pre-filed
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - County Boards of Education - Student Technology Use Policy - Requirements

Official Summary Text

Requiring a county board of education to develop and adopt a policy on the use of personal electronic devices during school hours; requiring the policy to restrict or limit the use of personal electronic devices by students during school hours, except for any purpose documented in the student's education program or Section 504 plan, to monitor or address a student's health issue, or for certain educational purposes; requiring the policy to be published on the county board's website and in student handbooks; etc.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0079*

SENATE BILL 79
F1 6lr1072
(PRE–FILED) CF HB 163
By: Senator Benson
Requested: October 2, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

County Boards of Education – Student Technology Use Policy – Requirements 2

FOR the purpose of requiring a county board of education to develop and adopt a policy on 3
the use of personal electronic devices during school hours; requiring the policy to 4
restrict or limit the use of personal electronic devices by students during school 5
hours, except under certain circumstances; and generally relating to county boards 6
of education and a student technology use policy. 7

BY adding to 8
Article – Education 9
Section 7–137 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 12

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14

Article – Education 15

7–137. 16

(A) IN THIS SECTION , “PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICE” MEANS ANY 17
PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE FOR INDIVIDUAL USE, INCLUDING A SMARTPHONE, 18
A TABLET, A LAPTOP, A SMARTWATCH, OR SMARTGLASSES. 19

(B) (1) EACH COUNTY BOARD SHALL DEVELOP AND AD OPT A POLICY 20
PROHIBITING OR LIMIT ING THE USE OF PERSO NAL ELECTRONIC DEVIC ES BY 21
STUDENTS DURING SCHOOL HOURS. 22

2 SENATE BILL 79

(2) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED UNDER SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION, 1
THE POLICY SHALL INCLUDE: 2

(I) FOR ELEMENTARY AND MI DDLE SC HOOL STUDENTS , A 3
PROHIBITION ON THE U SE OF A PERSONAL ELE CTRONIC DEVICE DURIN G SCHOOL 4
HOURS; AND 5

(II) FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDE NTS, A LIMITATION ON THE USE 6
OF A PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICE DURING SCHOOL HOURS. 7

(C) A POLICY DEVELOPED UND ER THIS SECTION M AY NOT PROHIBIT A 8
STUDENT FROM USING A PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICE: 9

(1) FOR ANY PURPOSE DOCUM ENTED IN THE STUDENT ’S 10
INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAM OR SECTION 504 PLAN; 11

(2) TO MONITOR OR ADDRESS A STUDENT ’S DOCUMENTED HEALTH 12
ISSUE; OR 13

(3) WHEN DIRECTED BY AN EDUCA TOR OR ADMINISTRATOR FOR 14
EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES. 15

(D) A POLICY ADOPTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS SECTION SHALL BE: 16

(1) PUBLISHED ON THE WEBSITE OF THE COUNTY BOARD; 17

(2) PUBLISHED IN THE SCHOOL’S STUDENT HANDBOOK; AND 18

(3) REVIEWED EVERY 2 YEARS: 19

(I) FOR ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, BY THE 20
DEPARTMENT; AND 21

(II) FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, BY THE COUNTY BOARD. 22

(E) EACH COUNTY BOARD SHA LL ESTABLISH POLICIE S AND PROCEDURES 23
TO ENFORCE THE POLIC Y ESTABLISHED UNDER THIS SECTION , INCLUDING 24
APPROPRIATE DISCIPLINARY MEASURES FOR VIOLATIONS, INCLUDING IN–SCHOOL 25
SUSPENSIONS. 26

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 27
1, 2026. 28