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Senate approves bill requiring districts to report school violent incidents and adopt cell‑phone policies
Summary
Senate substitute for SB 68 passed 29-5; the bill requires schools to report acts of violence to state authorities and asks districts to adopt bell‑to‑bell cell‑phone policies with limited exemptions.
The Missouri Senate passed Senate substitute for Senate Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 68, legislation creating a reporting requirement for violent incidents in schools and requiring each school district to adopt a cell‑phone policy that in most cases restricts student use from bell to bell. The bill passed by a roll-call vote of 29 ayes and 5 noes.
Senator from Saint Francis, State Senator and bill sponsor, said the measure has two parts: a reporting mechanism to ensure the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education can track incidents by building and district, and a requirement that districts adopt cell‑phone policies that generally ban use during the school day, with exemptions for students covered by Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), Section 504 plans, medical emergencies and for district‑approved instructional uses.
The senator from Lawrence inquired whether the bill’s cell‑phone provisions would address incidents that occur outside school hours. The sponsor replied the policy applies to the school day (from bell to bell) and that incidents outside school time would remain primarily outside the district’s direct control, though restricting use during the school day reduces distractions and some in‑school incidents. The sponsor also cited sexting, cyberbullying, academic cheating and mental‑health research as reasons for the phone restrictions.
After the exchange there was no further floor debate and the bill was read for third time and passed. The journal shows titling and perfecting motions were carried.
