OKLAHOMA CITY (KSWO) – The Oklahoma House of Representatives Common Education Committee passed a bill Wednesday, Feb. 6, that would prohibit students from using cell phones during their school day.
Rep. Chad Caldwell (R-Enid) authored the approved bill, House Bill 1276. The bill specifically aims to force school boards to have a policy forbidding cell phone usage on school campuses. Not only cell phones, but smartwatches are also included within the measure.
However, there is a section of the bill which would allow school boards to allow cell phone usage within schools in the district, but the policy would have to be reviewed and approved annually.
“Data clearly shows the alarming effects of social media and smartphone usage by young people, as well as academic declines when phones are allowed in schools,” Caldwell said. “This bill would allow schools the ability to craft their own policies to prohibit the use of cell phones and smartwatches during the school day starting next school year. Schools maintain control, but students reap the benefits.”
The chair of the committee the bill passed from, Rep. Dick Lowe (R-Amber), said he made sure this was the first bill the committee passed due to all the calls they received asking for a solution.
“Cell phones are powerful tools, but they usually do more harm than good in the classroom,” said Lowe, a former agriculture teacher. “House Bill 1276 gives schools the flexibility to implement policies that work best for their communities and helps students be fully engaged without the constant pull of technology. I appreciate Representative Caldwell’s extensive work to find a solution that protects local control, and I hope to see this sent to the governor’s desk quickly.”
While the bill passed the House Common Education by an 11-2 vote, it would still need to be passed by the House Education Oversight Committee before moving to the House floor.
“Going ‘bell to bell, no cell’ is about creating a learning environment where students are not continuously distracted by their devices, and Representative Caldwell has done a tremendous job rallying support for this bill,” said Speaker Kyle Hilbert (R-Bristow). “It’s time our classrooms return to being places of learning, not distractions. House Bill 1276 gives Oklahoma’s schools the flexibility to set policies that fit their needs while reinforcing a simple goal—to let kids be kids and let teachers teach.”
Copyright 2025 KSWO. All rights reserved.
