(The Center Square) – Bipartisan legislation requiring Colorado schools to have a cellphone policy is moving through the General Assembly, passing out of a Senate committee unanimously this week.
While House Bill 1135 does require that schools decide on a specific policy on student use of a “communication device,” it does not specify what that policy should be.
This comes as bipartisan support grows both in Colorado and nationally for schools to implement stricter cellphone policies.
“In today’s classrooms, cell phones have become a source of constant disruption, impacting students’ overall learning experience,” said the Colorado Education Association in a recent report. “With distractions just a tap away, educators, families and policymakers are considering new ways to mitigate the influence of personal devices in schools.”
Many schools in Colorado have already taken steps to address the issue and policies have varied, but the bill sponsors say it is important for all schools to have some policy in place.
“Our children deserve to learn absent constant and, at times, indecent distractions that jeopardize their wellbeing,” said state Rep. Mary Bradfield, R-Colorado Springs, one of the bill’s sponsors. “Furthermore, our teachers are here to educate our children, not act as the phone police.”
The bill has already been passed in the state House with minimal changes. It now will go to a vote on the floor of the state Senate.
“Many teachers already work hard to limit phone use in class, but they need backup,” said Sen. Janice Marchman, D-Loveland. “This bill gives local schools support to set clear, consistent policies — so students can focus, learn and take a real break from the pressures of constant connectivity.”
The bill would require that each institute charter school, district charter school and a local board of education for its schools that are not district charter schools have a policy implemented by July 1, 2026 “for the health, safety, and welfare of students.”
The legislation does specify that restrictions school put in place must have a provision for devices used to assist students with a medical condition. Any policy enacted must also consider exceptions, emergency response and unintended burdens that might arise.
The issue of cellphones in schools has received bipartisan attention and support, with at least 19 states across the nation already passing legislation.
