Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Electronic Devices topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Nebraska senators advance bill requiring school districts to adopt student electronic-device policies
Summary
The Legislature advanced LB 140, a bill directing each public school district to adopt a policy limiting personal electronic communication devices during instructional time; the education committee's amendment narrows scope, clarifies device coverage, and preserves district-level control.
Lincoln, Neb. — The Nebraska Legislature advanced LB 140 on a voice vote Monday after senators debated an education committee amendment that narrows the bill's scope and clarifies exceptions for instructional use.
Introduced by Senator Mike Sanders at the request of the governor, LB 140 would require each public school board to develop and adopt a policy governing students' use of electronic communication devices during instructional time. Senator Sanders said the bill "addresses the significant distraction caused by cell phones in the classroom." He told colleagues the measure supports local control and mirrors policies already used in districts such as Bellevue.
The education committee's amendment (AM 2 0 3) expands the bill's language so it applies to all electronic devices rather than only cell phones, limits any ban to instructional time rather than all hours on school property, and requires the policy to be set at the district level rather than by individual teachers. Senator Megan Merman, opening on the amendment, said the changes were made after committee hearings to avoid conflicts during extracurricular events and to provide uniformity within districts.
Senators who spoke in favor cited testimony at the committee hearing from students, teachers and parents. Senator Mike Hansen cited research highlighted at the hearing and said, "it takes on average a student 20 minutes to refocus on what they're learning after being distracted." Senator Rob Conrad called attention to student testimony in committee and described the bill as a policy-directive measure that helps smaller and rural districts by providing a model approach.
Several senators sought clarifications about permitted instructional uses and health exceptions. Senator Tanya DeBoer asked whether devices issued by a school (for example, Chromebooks or tablets used for classwork) would be exempt; Senator Conrad and others said the committee intended the bill to focus on personal devices and that the amendment already includes an exception allowing use "when authorized by a teacher for educational purposes during instructional time." Senator DeBoer also noted the bill contains health-related exceptions, for example continuous glucose monitors.
Senator Greg McKinney and others flagged practical enforcement concerns, particularly at middle- and high-school levels, saying districts should plan for discipline and implementation challenges. Senator Linuski (a long-time educator) and coaches speaking during the committee process noted successful local models in which students deposit devices at the start of the day or on buses.
The Legislature adopted AM 2 0 3 (committee amendment) by voice vote; the clerk recorded 42 ayes and no nays for the amendment. The bill was then advanced to E & R initial with 44 ayes and no nays recorded.
LB 140 leaves the specifics of enforcement, discipline and incidental exceptions to local school districts and to subsequent guidance developed by the State Board of Education as part of the policy-directive process. Supporters said the purpose is to reduce distraction, improve classroom focus and address student mental-health concerns raised during committee testimony.
The bill will next move through the process from general file (E & R initial) where senators may offer additional amendments before select file consideration.
