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*sb0928*
SENATE BILL 928
F1 6lr2736
SB 368/25 – EEE CF HB 525
By: Senators Harris, Charles, A. Washington, and Carozza Carozza, Attar, Benson,
Brooks, Hester , and Kagan Kagan, West, Ferguson, Jennings, Jackson,
Augustine, Love, Ready, and Salling
Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2026
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted with floor amendments
Read second time: March 3, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
County Boards of Education – Student Electronic Communication Device Use 2
Policy – Establishment 3
(Maryland Phone–Free Schools Act) 4
FOR the purpose of requiring each county board of education to develop and implement, 5
not later than a certain school year, a policy limiting prohibiting the use of an 6
electronic communication device by a student during the school day except under 7
certain circumstances; and generally relating to county boards of education and a 8
student electronic communication device use policy. 9
BY adding to 10
Article – Education 11
Section 7–137 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 14
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 15
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 16
Article – Education 17
7–137. 18
2 SENATE BILL 928
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 1
INDICATED. 2
(2) “ACADEMIC SCHOOL DAY ” MEANS ANY STRUCTURED OR 3
UNSTRUCTURED LEARNIN G EXPERIENCE THAT OC CURS FROM WHEN THE F IRST 4
BELL RINGS AT THE START OF THE SCHOOL DAY UNTIL THE DISMISSAL BELL RINGS 5
AT THE END OF THE SC HOOL DAY, INCLUDING INSTRUCTIONAL PERIODS, LUNCH, 6
RECESS, PASSING PERIODS, AND TRANSITIONAL PERIODS. 7
(3) (I) “ELECTRONIC COMMUNICAT ION DEVICE ” MEANS ANY 8
PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE CARRIED OR TR ANSPORTED BY A STUDE NT TO 9
RECEIVE, SEND, OR RECORD VOICE , IMAGE, OR TEXT CONTENT , INCLUDING CELL 10
PHONES, TABLETS, LAPTOPS, SMART WATCHES , WIRELESS EARBUDS OR 11
HEADPHONES, GEOLOCATION DEVICES , AND ANY OTHER DEVICE WITH 12
COMMUNICATION FUNCTIONS. 13
(II) “ELECTRONIC COMMUNICAT ION DEVICE ” DOES NOT 14
INCLUDE AN ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICE PROVIDED BY A COUNTY BOARD 15
FOR INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSES. 16
(4) “SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM ” MEANS AN INTERNET–BASED 17
APPLICATION, WEBSITE, OR DIGITAL SERVICE T HAT ENABLES USERS TO CREATE, 18
SHARE, OR VIEW CONTENT OR T O INTERACT WITH OTHE R USERS THROUGH 19
PROFILES, ACCOUNTS, FEEDS, MESSAGING, COMMENTS, REACTIONS, OR SIMILAR 20
SOCIAL FEATU RES, AND THAT IS PRIMARIL Y DESIGNED TO FACILI TATE SOCIAL 21
INTERACTION, USER–GENERATED CONTENT , OR CONTENT DISTRIBUT ION TO A 22
BROAD OR SEMI–PUBLIC AUDIENCE. 23
(4) (5) “STORE” MEANS TO SECURE IN A MANNER DETERMINED BY 24
THE COUNTY BOARD TO ENSURE THE ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICE IS NOT 25
CARRIED ON THE STUDENT’S PERSON DURING THE ACADEMIC SCHOOL DAY. 26
(B) NOT LATER THAN THE 2027–2028 SCHOOL YEAR, EACH COUNTY BOARD 27
SHALL DEVELOP AND IM PLEMENT A POLICY TO LIMIT PROHIBIT THE USE OF 28
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICA TION DEVICE S BY STUDENTS DURING THE ACADEMIC 29
SCHOOL DAY. 30
(C) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (D) OF THIS SECTION , THE 31
POLICY DEVELOPED UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL: 32
(1) PROHIBIT A STUDENT FR OM USING AN ELECTRON IC 33
COMMUNICATION DEVICE DURING THE ACADEMIC SCHOOL DAY; 34
SENATE BILL 928 3
(2) REQUIRE A STUDENT TO STORE THE STUDENT ’S ELECTRONIC 1
COMMUNICATION DEVICE DURING THE ACADEMIC SCHOOL DAY; 2
(3) PROHIBIT A STUDENT FR OM USING THE SOCIAL MED IA 3
APPLICATIONS AND SOCIAL MEDIA WEBSITES DETERMINED BY THE COUNTY BOARD 4
ACCESSING OR USING A SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM DURING THE ACADEMIC SCHOOL 5
DAY; AND 6
(4) REQUIRE ADMINISTRATOR APPROVAL FOR THE USE OF A 7
PERSONAL ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICE FOR EDUCATIONAL PURP OSES 8
WHEN A SCHOOL–ISSUED ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICE IS UNAVAILABLE. 9
(D) THE POLICY DEVELOPED UNDER THIS SECTION M AY NOT PROHIBIT A 10
STUDENT FROM USING AN ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICE: 11
(1) FOR ANY PURPOSE DOCUM ENTED IN THE STUDENT ’S 12
INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAM OR 504 PLAN; 13
(2) TO MONITOR OR ADDRESS A STUDENT ’S DOCUMENTED HEALTH 14
ISSUE; 15
(3) DURING AN EMERGENCY E VENT, IF EXPRESSLY AUTHORI ZED BY 16
AN ADMINISTRATOR; 17
(4) WHEN DIRECTED BY AN A DMINISTRATOR FOR EDU CATIONAL 18
PURPOSES; 19
(5) (3) TO ACCESS LANGUAGE TR ANSLATION TOOLS TO E NSURE 20
EDUCATIONAL EQUITY F OR MULTILINGUAL STUDENT S WHEN SCHOOL –ISSUED 21
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICES ARE NOT AVAILABLE OR SUFFICIENT FOR 22
THIS PURPOSE; OR 23
(6) (4) FOR THE PURPOSE OF ME ETING CAREGIVING 24
RESPONSIBILITIES, AS APPROVED BY A PRINCIPAL. 25
(E) EACH COUNTY BOARD SHALL: 26
(1) ENGAGE PARENTS , STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, AND COMMUNITY 27
STAKEHOLDERS IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND REVISION OF THE POLICY, INCLUDING 28
DETERMINING ENFORCEMENT OF THE POLICY; AND 29
4 SENATE BILL 928
(2) PUBLISH AND MAKE THE POLICY AVAILABLE IN MULTIPLE 1
LANGUAGES IN STUDENT HANDBOOKS, ON THE SCHOOL ’S AND COUNTY BOARD ’S 2
WEBSITES, AND AT SCHOOL EVENTS. 3
(F) (1) A POLICY DEVELOPED UND ER THIS SECTION SHAL L INCLUDE 4
APPROPRIATE DISCIPLINARY MEASURES FOR VIOLATIONS OF THE POLICY. 5
(2) THE DISCIPLINARY MEASURES ADOPTED UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) 6
OF THIS SUBSECTION SHALL BE TIERED DISCIPLINARY MEASURES ENFORCED BY AN 7
ADMINISTRATOR. 8
(3) A DISCIPLINARY MEASURE ADOPTED UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF 9
THIS SUBSECTION MAY NOT INCLUDE SUSPENSI ON OR EXPULSION SOLE LY FOR A 10
VIOLATION OF THE POLICY. 11
(G) ON OR BEF ORE SEPTEMBER 1, 2027, AND EACH SEPTEMBER 1 UNTIL 12
SEPTEMBER 1, 2032, EACH COUNTY BOARD SH ALL SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE 13
DEPARTMENT ON THE IMPACTS OF TH E IMPLEMENTATION A COPY OF THE 14
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICA TION DEVICE POLICY I N THE LOCAL SCHOOL S YSTEM 15
IMPLEMENTED UNDER THIS SECTION, INCLUDING: 16
(1) A COPY OF THE CURRENT ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICE 17
POLICY THAT DESCRIBES: DESCRIPTION OF THE POLICY’S: 18
(I) STORAGE AND SECURITY REQUIREMENTS AND ANY 19
RELATED GRADE–LEVEL DIFFERENTIATIONS ESTABLISHED IN THE POLICY; 20
(II) GRADE–LEVEL DIFFERENTIATIO N DISCIPLINE MEASURES 21
AND ANY RELATED GRAD E–LEVEL DIFFERENTIATIO NS ESTABLISHED IN TH E 22
POLICY; 23
(III) INSTRUCTIONAL USE PROTOCOLS; AND 24
(IV) EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION PLANS; AND 25
(2) DOCUMENTATION OF STAK EHOLDER EN GAGEMENT; IN THE 26
DEVELOPMENT OF THE POLICY. 27
(3) COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT DATA, INCLUDING: 28
(I) RELATED DISCIPLINARY REFERRALS, DISAGGREGATED BY 29
STUDENT DEMOGRAPHIC SUBGROUPS; AND 30
SENATE BILL 928 5
(II) THE USE OF RESTORATIV E PRACTICES AS A DIS CIPLINARY 1
MEASURE, IF USED; 2
(4) DESCRIPTION OF THE IM PACTS ON THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT, 3
IF ANY, INCLUDING SURVEY DAT A FROM STUDENTS , TEACHERS, AND PARENTS ON 4
FOCUS, WELL–BEING, AND SATISFACTION FOLLOWING POLICY IMPLEMENTATION; 5
(5) EQUITY AND ACCOMMODAT ION DATA , INCLUDING THE NUMBER 6
AND TYPE OF EXEMPTIONS TO THE POLICY GRANTED BY A SCHOOL; AND 7
(6) ANTICIPATED POLICY RE VISIONS FOR THE UPCO MING SCHOOL 8
YEAR, IF ANY. 9
(H) ON OR BEFORE JULY DECEMBER 1, 2028, AND EACH JULY 1 UNTIL JULY 10
1, 2033, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PUBL ISH O N THE DEPARTMENT’S WEBSITE A 11
REPORT THAT COMPILES AND SUMMARIZES THE REPORTS OF THE COUNTY BOARDS 12
ON THE IMPACTS OF IM PLEMENTING THE ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICE 13
POLICIES OF EACH COUNTY BOARD SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT UNDER 14
SUBSECTION (G) OF THIS SECTION, INCLUDING: 15
(1) THE DATA SUBMITTED BY THE COUNTY BOARDS TO THE 16
DEPARTMENT; 17
(2) ENFORCEMENT CHALLENGES; AND 18
(3) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND MODEL POLICIES. 19
(I) (1) EACH COUNTY BOARD SHA LL SEND TO THE DEPARTMENT AN 20
UPDATED COPY OF THE ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICE POLICY DEVELOPED 21
AND IMPLEMENTED UNDER THIS SECTION. 22
(2) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PUBL ISH ON ITS WEBSITE A COPY OF 23
EACH COUNTY BOARD’S ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICE POLICY SUBMITTED 24
UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION. 25
(J) (1) ON OR BEFORE JULY 30, 2028, AND EACH JULY 30 UNTIL JULY 26
30, 2033, EACH COUNTY BOARD SHALL SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE DEPARTMENT ON 27
THE IMPACTS OF THE I MPLEMENTATION OF THE ELECTRONIC COMMUNICA TION 28
DEVICE POLICY, INCLUDING: 29
(I) COMPLIANCE AND ENFORC EMENT DAT A, INCLUDING 30
RELATED DISCIPLINARY REFERRALS DISAGGREGATED BY STUDENT DEMOGRAPHIC 31
SUBGROUPS; AND 32
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(II) EQUITY AND ACCOMMODAT ION DATA , INCLUDING THE 1
NUMBER AND TYPES OF EXEMPTIONS TO THE POLICY GRANTED BY SCHOOLS IN THE 2
COUNTY. 3
(2) THE DEPARTMENT, IN C ONSULTATION WITH LOC AL SCHOOL 4
SYSTEMS, SHALL DETERMINE THE BEST METHOD TO SUBMI T THE INFORMATION 5
REQUIRED UNDER PARAG RAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION T O THE DEPARTMENT, 6
INCLUDING WITHIN EXISTING REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. 7
(K) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ADOP T REGULATIO NS TO IMPLEMENT THE 8
REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION. 9
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 10
1, 2026. 11
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.