House Education hears H.54 to require bell-to-bell phone-free schools and limit school-directed social media use

MONTPELIER, Vt. — Lawmakers in the House Education Committee on Wednesday heard a walkthrough of H.54, a bill that would require Vermont public and independent schools to adopt “bell-to-bell” policies prohibiting students’ use of cell phones and personal electronic devices from arrival until dismissal and would bar schools from asking, requiring or permitting students to use social media for school activities.

The bill’s sponsor, Representative Martina Barsnow, told the committee the measure is intended to support students’ academic focus and mental health and to reduce distraction and harms associated with social media. "This bill is but 1 piece of a rather large puzzle that legislatures all over the country are trying to fit together to help keep our kids safe and healthy," Barsnow said.

Barsnow and Legislative Council staff walked the committee through the bill’s text and definitions. H.54 would add a new subchapter to Title 16, Chapter 9. Key provisions explained to the committee include: a definition of "cell phone," a broader definition of "electronic device," and a three-part definition of "social media" that requires a platform to (a) permit accounts or profiles, (b) enable user-generated content viewable by others, and (c) primarily serve as a medium for user interaction.

Under the proposed statute, each school’s governing body would be required to…