House Education Committee hears Senate Bill 11 to require school districts to adopt cell‑phone policies; committee later tables bill

The House Education Committee on Thursday took testimony on Senate Bill 11, a bill that would require each New Mexico school district to adopt a written policy limiting student use of wireless communication devices during instructional hours and that makes a conditional $2,000,000 appropriation to reimburse districts that choose equipment such as magnetic lock pouches.

The bill’s sponsors told the committee they intend the measure to address classroom distraction and student mental‑health concerns tied to high daily phone use. “According to NEA, 90% of our teachers has identified cell phones as the number 1 classroom distractor,” a sponsor said during opening remarks. The sponsor also cited research on teens’ average daily screen time and said the appropriation would reimburse districts that choose pouches or similar locking devices.

Why it matters: Supporters — including the Public Education Department, teachers’ unions and business groups — said a uniform requirement that districts post and adopt policies would reduce classroom distractions, curb in‑school social media bullying and set clear expectations for families. “At the beginning of this legislative session, the superintendents did a survey of themselves… 74% of the superintendents did indicate that they are in support of a statewide ban,” Gregory Frosted, assistant secretary of education for the Public Education Department, told the committee.

Supporters: Testimony in favor came from union leaders, school‑board representatives and business groups. Whitney Holland, president of AFT New Mexico, said excessive phone use disrupts classroom engagement and contributes to anxiety and bullying. Lily Ortiz of the New Mexico School Board Association said the association had supported a permissive approach but appreciated language that would prevent unfunded mandates by pairing the policy requirement with a funding appropriation. Representatives of NEA New Mexico, the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, the Albuquerque Teachers Federation, Public Charter Schools of New Mexico and business groups also testified in support.

Concerns and discussion: Committee members pressed sponsors on enforcement, discipline and emergency access. Several lawmakers said their central concern was how districts and schools would enforce a policy without placing an undue policing burden on teachers. Representative Vincent asked, “If a kid doesn't comply with this, what’s the recourse?” The sponsors repeatedly answered that enforcement details would be left to each district and that the bill’s drafters intended the law to require districts to adopt a policy but to preserve local flexibility on specifics such as whether phones are kept in pouches, backpacks or pockets.

Committee members also raised emergency‑access questions: several said parents expect students to be able to contact guardians in true emergencies and asked how a locked pouch system would preserve that access. Sponsors pointed to suggested policy language in the bill that allows for permitted use for accessibility and emergency purposes and described pouch models with unlock points and emergency break features.

Votes and committee action: Committee members debated a substitute and an amendment during the hearing. The committee took an amendment and later voted to table the bill. A motion to adopt an amendment passed 7–6; a later motion to table the (amended) bill passed 9–3, effectively pausing further floor action from this hearing.

What wasn't decided: The committee did not adopt a single statewide model policy; the bill leaves the substantive choices to each school district. The committee also did not resolve enforcement mechanisms, discipline thresholds or the exact mechanism for distributing the $2,000,000 appropriation beyond the statement that any district that chooses an approach that requires purchase of equipment could seek reimbursement.

Context and next steps: Supporters urged committee members to view the bill as prompting local conversations and as a way to reduce teachers’ enforcement burden. Opponents and some members urged more time for local input and for clarifying details on emergency access and discipline. With the committee’s tabling vote, further action will require the bill’s sponsors to seek reintroduction, a motion to recall the bill from the table, or a change before the bill can advance to the House floor.