Committee backs bill requiring districts to adopt distraction-free phone policies

Representative James Petzke (District 21) presented Senate Bill 1032, which would require every Idaho school district to adopt a "distraction-free learning" policy for personal electronic devices by the end of the calendar year. Petzke said the measure leaves implementation details to locally elected school boards so districts can tailor policy to local needs and noted exemptions for medical needs or other legitimate classroom uses.

Supportive testimony came from several districts and students. Cliff Rice, director of secondary instruction for West Ada School District, and Eva (Ava) Crainer, public relations director for Twin Falls School District, described district-level rollouts that included community input and reported reduced hallway incidents and improved classroom focus after implementing device restrictions. High-school students Mikayle Roy and Joey Fonseca testified in favor, saying the policies helped students focus, build in-person connections and feel relieved to have less phone-related distraction.

Representative Petzke said the bill passed the Senate unanimously and that several House members agreed to cosponsor or hold similar measures. Representative Thais and other committee members expressed support, noting broad agreement on the problem even if solutions vary.

Representative Mendyff moved that the committee send Senate Bill 1032 to the House floor with a "do pass" recommendation. The motion passed by voice vote; the transcript records "Aye" and "Motion carries" with no roll-call vote recorded.

The bill delegates implementation to local boards and explicitly allows flexibility to address special-needs students, smartwatches and classroom-device chat services. Testifying districts said they used community input and created local exceptions for health or safety communications. Chanda Zucker submitted written comments to the committee (filed in the hearing packet), according to the chair.