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Senator Ricciardi backs bill to require schools to limit student cell phone use; educators support statewide standard
Summary
Senator Denise Ricciardi told the Senate Education Committee on Oct. 12 that Senate Bill 206 would require public schools to adopt policies limiting student cell phone use during the school day, with exceptions for medical and language support needs.
Senator Denise Ricciardi introduced Senate Bill 206 at the Oct. 12 Senate Education Committee hearing, saying the bill would require public schools to adopt policies that limit student personal device use during the school day while allowing exceptions for medical disability and language support needs.
"This bill is a very proactive step toward improving educational outcomes and student well‑being by requiring public schools to adopt clear policies limiting cell phone use during the school day," Ricciardi said, adding that the measure allows schools flexibility to tailor policies to local needs.
Several witnesses expressed support. Barra Cristina of the New Hampshire School Boards Association said the association supports the concept but prefers local flexibility; she noted related House bills that would offer grants to buy phone storage devices for districts. "We believe school boards should have some level of flexibility," she told the committee.
Deborah Howes, president of the American Federation of Teachers–New Hampshire, said leaving phone rules to individual teachers is ineffective and places an enforcement burden on educators: "There are many preteens and teens who are so concerned about missing out on something that's going on on their phone that they will engage in a battle of wills," Howes said, citing national data from Pew Research and Common Sense Media showing frequent teen phone use and numerous daily notifications.
Brian Hawkins of NEA New Hampshire and other witnesses pointed to surveys of educators who report that consistent, school‑wide restrictions reduce distractions, improve school climate and can reduce cyberbullying. The New Hampshire School Boards Association and union witnesses said the bill could help standardize rules and reduce variation that teachers currently must enforce case by case.
Committee members raised concerns about the word "prohibit" in the bill text, local control, classroom flexibility for instructional uses of phones, and emergency contact concerns from parents. Witnesses suggested implementation details — emergency procedures, administrator backup for enforcement and possible grant funding for secure phone storage — should be addressed at the district level or in companion legislation.
The hearing closed with no committee vote recorded in the transcript.
