Senate panel backs bill urging schools to adopt distraction-free cell phone policies

The Idaho Senate Education Committee on Thursday voted to recommend Senate Bill 1032 to the full Senate, advancing legislation that would require each school district to assess mobile-device impacts on students and adopt a policy that "promotes distraction-free learning" by the end of the year.

The bill, introduced by Senator Burnt, does not mandate a single statewide rule; it directs local school boards to craft policies suited to their districts and allows districts to include health and individualized exemptions. "I truly believe that this policy is going to save lives," Burnt told the committee, adding he meant the change primarily in terms of relieving students from "the shackles of addiction, from anxiousness, and from depression."

Committee members heard more than a dozen witnesses in favor of the bill, including school board leaders, superintendents, and students from districts that have implemented phone restrictions. Laura Stone, chair of the Blaine County School District 61 board of trustees, described her district's August 2023 ban and said staff saw "higher levels of participation, focus, and fewer classroom disruptions." She told the committee that the policy requires phones be off and not on the student's person.

Students who testified said phone restrictions increased in-class engagement and social interaction. Jack Goughner, student body president at Eagle High School, said the mere vibration or buzz from a pocket pulls attention away: "The distraction of the cell phone in my pocket is like, you don't notice it. But when it buzzes in class, you're thinking about your phone." Jack Stone, student council co-president at Rocky Mountain High School, said the policy helped students bond and meet peers they otherwise would not have known.

District administrators offered operational detail and outcomes. Joey Palmer, assistant superintendent for Valley View School District, said staff tested device restrictions for years and, after districtwide enforcement for more than six months, "we continue to see... fewer office referrals, higher academic performance, and an overwhelmingly positive feedback from staff and students about the improved school cultures." Derek Bub, superintendent of West Ada School District, told senators that in his district "we've seen a 45% reduction in behaviors" at the middle-school level after implementing a districtwide policy.

Committee members asked about emergencies and medical exemptions. Burnt and others noted the bill's draft language (section 3 3-6802, subsection 3) explicitly permits districts to adopt exemptions, including for health needs and individualized education plans; Burnt said teachers, administrators and school resource officers retain phones and can contact first responders. Representative Petzke and district officials also described that local control allows schools to tailor implementation, such as phone vaults, collection points, or locker storage, that fit their campus needs.

Several witnesses said implementation benefited from staged rollouts and strong enforcement by all staff. Blaine County's Stone said the board received more than 800 public comments before implementation and only "four or five" parents raised concerns. Multiple testifiers urged districts to study local results and share best practices rather than imposing a one-size-fits-all approach.

Votes at a glance: The committee first approved a motion to send Senate Bill 1032 to the Senate floor with a due-pass recommendation (moved by Senator Burton Shaw; second recorded). The committee also voted to confirm the gubernatorial appointment of David Turnbull to the Idaho State Board of Education (moved by Senator Ward Engelking; motion carried). In committee business, senators rejected two State Board dockets (motion by Ward Engelking, second by Carlson) and approved three other dockets related to digital learning and rule changes (motions and seconds recorded on the transcript).

Senator Burnt closed the hearing by thanking students and district leaders who testified and said the measure strikes a balance between statewide concern and local control. The measure now moves to the Senate floor for further consideration.