[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6650307,"mediaKeyId","2508491-0309078cf2e540081eb4c6725491518f","parentId",2508491,"title","‘Focus Act’ (HB166) advances on House floor; bill would restrict student smartphone use in schools with limited exemptions","audioSeconds",650,"startMs",6001730,"endMs",6651915,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2508491-0309078cf2e540081eb4c6725491518f&start=6001&end=6651","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2508491-0309078cf2e540081eb4c6725491518f/thumbnail_6001730.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6650307/Alabama/Focus-Act-HB166-advances-on-House-floor-bill-would-restrict-student-smartphone-use-in-schools-with-limited-exemptions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6650307-ac742040e046ddde1678fff1b8d72e93/orig.mp4?Expires=1770958753&Signature=iORBCMtDC3dRtVIjImT3xiRvRdDPl2jXbM0W4wLucVjTs5BA3sPQvw3HlhNVjQ9wF90nRwV~XNeFsxzBVUCT94Vtu6ux6bybuhTNxvf6gPr05C3vopGTaZZEK~OmcOK6b3H27EFKKmkzH2s0YfnfoTFlWviEY8r0SZRItmn14ibpdEtTDqDXMSrvmqd4KrDxdGQOLxLytaiwE~TokVBAKaKckZdHovwacHJrXDu4IK~oF8~ox9aSSi-Xo6HZRTlnykivdk~ucawjZwWalLS3La39oyc0NSQGmte7W3M4Q4oadytBKoLpSxEvszRvBWvvaxV~GEj1-oPHO2BgUyEqdA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Alabama House Sessions","date","2025-03-05T23:01:48.753Z","article","Representative Halsey introduced House Bill 166, the \"Focus Act,\" which would require local boards of education to adopt rules regulating the use and possession of personal cell phones during instructional time and direct the Alabama State Department of Education to implement an Internet safety policy. The bill also would mandate a social-media safety course before eighth grade.

Sponsor’s case: Halsey told members the measure \"takes a crucial step in protecting students by requiring local school boards to adopt a policy regulating the use and possession of cell phones during instructional time.\" She said research links smartphone use to lower academic performance and increased anxiety. The transcript records committee testimony from Department of Mental Health commissioner Boswell in a prior meeting (as recounted by Halsey), saying the change could improve youth mental health.

Exemptions and mechanics: Members asked how the bill would operate in emergencies and for students with medical needs. Halsey explained three carve-outs: the bill permits use, operation or possession during (1) emergencies threatening the life or safety of a student or another person, (2) instructional use when approved and supervised by the school, and (3) accommodations in an individualized education plan (IEP) or 504 plan. \"This is an allowable exemption... the use occurs in an emergency threatening the life or safety of a student or another person,\" Halsey said in direct response to members’ concerns about contacting caregivers.

Other clarifications: The bill does not ban students from bringing phones onto campus; it requires phones to be turned off and stored off the student’s body (locker, backpack, designated pouch) during instructional time. District-owned devices (Chromebooks, school iPads) would remain exempt and usable for educational purposes. Halsey pointed to a pilot program in Montgomery in which grade outcomes rose and discipline referrals fell about 80 percent after implementing a storage-based policy.

Procedure and next steps: Representative Halsey said she had a substitute and moved the bill on the floor; the item was set for further consideration as a bill with a sub and will appear on the calendar the following day for additional action.

Why it matters: The proposal aims to reduce classroom distractions and harms associated with unsupervised smartphone use, while preserving emergency access and support for medically necessary uses. Members asked for clarity on parental contact and the scope of allowed educational use during the floor exchange recorded in the transcript.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Alabama House","oneSentenceSummary","Representative Halsey introduced HB166, the Focus Act, to require local boards to limit student smartphone use during instructional time and to require State education authorities to adopt related internet-safety policies and a pre-eighth-grade social-media safety course.","taxTitle","House, Alabama Legislative Sessions, Alabama","taxId",62182,"location","Alabama","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6650314,"House pauses vote on school rapid‑response alert systems after debate over cost, accuracy and local control",3134,2768030,5902784,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2508491-0309078cf2e540081eb4c6725491518f&start=2768&end=5902","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2508491-0309078cf2e540081eb4c6725491518f/thumbnail_2768030.jpg","/articles/6650314/Alabama/House-pauses-vote-on-school-rapidresponse-alert-systems-after-debate-over-cost-accuracy-and-local-control","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6650314-029a275ca94031432239975a88302069/orig.mp4?Expires=1770958753&Signature=EVLyxaYqlHUbUx9P-isTo1av4gA4r4jHlgPeUK2K~xEhVkW6rDpqRRoTvGMe-PzBg22x1G3aOoD3EqpQ6hG58kngMCV~NleicHMcbEkHAEHcVTvr91FeqNngkzFaYKfXdNe0IlucOK-IE6EbYLZOXbH90CgpLBn9Mvl-LkK6m~foy7kYfNVeKGBfItIurN5TrOL4QMVZUlHjtPxpKQsl80A8rbTXd3gFZL-DmYuOafSme8EzG5S5ti3CUxQgVsXVFffOwx7PIbe-0WiXezNZHVA9aTjiWTprshlttFtRI6orEa~hpvABimqVl7hRkxANOolL6Q2T~O3COhLC09VL6A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lawmakers debated House Bill 234, a school-safety measure that would require local boards of education to adopt policies designating employees and equipment for a mobile emergency rapid-response system. The bill’s sponsor, Representative Baker, described the technology as a tool to provide immediate notification to school officials and first responders when a designated employee activates an alert device.

Why it matters: The debate centered on a technical but consequential provision requiring systems to provide \"accurate location information to the room inside the facility and to the floor level.\" Several superintendents and legislators argued that the floor-level requirement would force school systems to buy more expensive antenna-based systems rather than less costly GPS-based solutions, creating what at least one member called an unfunded mandate.

What was said: Representative Baker described wearable \"button\" devices and mobile-app options and said the technology could rapidly alert officials when staff see a threat anywhere on a campus. \"This would allow for more rapid alert to the appropriate officials, both school officials as well as first responders,\" he said.

Opponents and concerns: Representative Ream, who offered an amendment, said removing the three words \"and floor level\" would give local systems flexibility: \"The intent of the amendment is to remove 'and floor level'... it will allow more flexibility in which type of system the school system actually decides to use.\" Representative Rimm and other members representing rural districts described GPS-based systems that cost roughly $2,000 a year versus antenna-based systems that vendors and members estimated at $8,000 a year or higher. Rimm said superintendents described the bill as an \"unfunded mandate.\" Others stressed that law enforcement typically conducts a building sweep in an active-shooter event regardless of floor-level data, while supporters argued higher location precision could speed response in some incidents.

Procedure and outcome: The transcript records a vote adopting the bill’s base language (recorded as \"BR adopted\" on the floor) with a roll-call of 93 ayes, 3 nays and 6 abstentions; a subsequent substitute was adopted 96-3 with no abstentions. Representative Ream offered the floor-level amendment; debate continued, and Representative Baker later moved to carry the bill over for further discussion. The motion to carry the bill over was approved and the bill was temporarily carried over for later consideration.

Next steps: The House left HB234 open for additional amendment language and local input; members indicated an amendment was likely and discussed balancing higher-accuracy location requirements with vendor availability and cost to local districts.","The House debated HB234, a school safety measure requiring local school boards to adopt rapid-response alert systems. Lawmakers and superintendents clashed over a proposed floor-level location requirement that could raise costs; a cleanup amendment to remove \"and floor level\" was offered and the bill was carried over for further discussion.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6650319,"Alabama House passes bill lowering threshold to prosecute some school-related terror hoaxes",2207,549825,2757135,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2508491-0309078cf2e540081eb4c6725491518f&start=549&end=2757","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2508491-0309078cf2e540081eb4c6725491518f/thumbnail_549825.jpg","/articles/6650319/Alabama/Alabama-House-passes-bill-lowering-threshold-to-prosecute-some-school-related-terror-hoaxes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6650319-c3aaf4698a7f729a64007d763e7a9559/orig.mp4?Expires=1770958753&Signature=SJVS0p6gphbTxsDd5zquVdqaxEMS-Q2nfQFGfgoxESbhfhlH-gqkodjfDAza5fgUO2NlYKt0ifeb6znL9SkTYYipxWmcnIupFcV6WXumoWYXdSISXugOlgtMqTZ4l3qhoH4GzGjvfiieNnCgN2ST9wVjste51M1-yFvf1cBVUtrhd6hKF9cpqhvXyoJ0ofG60qcai0pPfDQkndBmcN5AWGHvCcRPElkNfkoCqWyh7kHJ4MtmHs8g2tRJ4f-~9Gx0Q7pk7l-Zv9Pct4Y5mMRBFIWUvXQpnERXAjxKrrQvTkWil8xnoGBKjkV0g39kh-u~YwEgwT96yrkHqUK3xsZwFw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Alabama House of Representatives passed House Bill 233 on the floor after debate, changing how prosecutors may pursue some school-related threat cases. Sponsor Rep. Baker told the chamber the bill was prompted by a wave of threats to schools this school year and aims to give district attorneys authority to bring charges in hoax or prank cases that previously could not be prosecuted.

Supporters say the measure preserves the heightened standard for first-degree terrorist threats while allowing lower-threshold prosecution for second-degree threats. \"This bill changes that... it would remove the requirement that it must be credible and imminent,\" Representative Baker said on the floor, describing the change as targeted to cases where a call or student communication forced law enforcement and schools to treat an incident as a credible threat but later proved to be a hoax.

Why it matters: School calls or student reports of bombs or shootings require immediate responses from school staff and law enforcement, supporters said, creating direct costs and instructional disruption even when an investigation later shows no actual capability to carry out the threat. Supporters argued the change would let prosecutors pursue perpetrators and deter repeat false threats.

Debate and detail: Members questioned how the bill would distinguish harmless mischief by students from conduct that should be prosecuted. Representative Hall asked, \"You're removing a requirement that a threat must be credible and imminent?\" Baker replied that the change applies only to terrorist threat in the second degree and that first-degree language was left intact. Representative Jackson, a retired educator, and others noted that school disruptions have risen in recent months and expressed support for clearer tools for prosecutors.

Penalties and discretion: Under discussion on the floor, members noted that first-degree terrorist threats remain subject to the higher standard (described in debate as requiring proof the threat was credible and imminent). The bill leaves discretion to district attorneys to decide whether to charge individuals based on the circumstances; sponsors emphasized it does not relieve schools or law enforcement of treating every reported threat as potentially credible while investigators determine facts.

Supporters also highlighted provisions to increase penalties for repeat offenders. \"Strengthening the penalties for repeat offenders and aligning with national standards\" was cited by Representative Collins as a positive feature.

Outcome: The transcript records the House adopting the measure and later the clerk announcing, \"HP 233 has passed.\" The bill was moved by Representative Baker and final passage was recorded on the floor.","The Alabama House approved HB233, a bill that removes the requirement that second-degree school-related \"terrorist threats\" be both credible and imminent before a district attorney can bring charges, while retaining a higher standard for first-degree threats.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

‘Focus Act’ (HB166) advances on House floor; bill would restrict student smartphone use in schools with limited exemptions

House pauses vote on school rapid‑response alert systems after debate over cost, accuracy and local control

Alabama House passes bill lowering threshold to prosecute some school-related terror hoaxes