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H715 • 2025

An Act relative to phone-free schools

An Act relative to phone-free schools

Education
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Joshua Tarsky
Last action
2025-11-17
Official status
Accompanied a new draft, see H4745
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

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

An Act relative to phone-free schools

An Act relative to phone-free schools By Representative Tarsky of Needham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act relative to phone-free schools By Representative Tarsky of Needham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
  • 715) of Joshua Tarsky for legislation to prohibit the use of personal electronic devices by students during the school day.
  • Education.

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

  1. 2025-11-17 House

    Accompanied a new draft, see H4745

  2. 2025-09-15 House

    Reporting date extended to Wednesday, December 17, 2025

  3. 2025-06-06 Joint

    Hearing scheduled for 06/17/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in B-2

  4. 2025-02-27 House

    Referred to the committee on Education

  5. 2025-02-27 Senate

    Senate concurred

Official Summary Text

An Act relative to phone-free schools
By Representative Tarsky of Needham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 715) of Joshua Tarsky for legislation to prohibit the use of personal electronic devices by students during the school day. Education.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
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Bill H.715

Chapter 71 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 102. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-

“Personal electronic device”, a cell telephone, tablet, smart watch, computer or other portable electronic device capable of voice communication, text messaging or internet access.

“Pouch system”, a system in which access to a personal electronic device is restricted through storing the device in a pouch, which can be locked or unlocked at certain times and locations by the school’s teaching or administrative staff.

(b) Each school district shall implement a pouch system to prohibit the use of personal electronic devices by students during the school day.

(c) Each school district shall implement a policy for the use of the pouch system. The policy shall permit the use of personal electronic devices if authorized by teaching or administrative staff. The policy shall require that students secure their personal electronic devices in a pouch upon entrance to the school and that each pouch is unlocked at the end of the school day.

(c) Annually, the school district shall submit its policies to the department for review and approval. The department shall promulgate regulations, pursuant to chapter 30A, which shall include minimum requirements for the school districts’ policies.

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