Legislation - HB0525

Title: County Boards of Education - Student Electronic Communication Device Use Policy - Establishment (Maryland Phone-Free Schools Act)
Sponsored by: Delegates Boafo, Wu, Wolek, Kaufman, Moreno, Schindler, Solomon, Taylor, Ebersole, Griffith, Hartman, Hornberger, R. Long, Mireku-North, Patterson, Vogel, and Wims
Status: In the Senate - First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment
Analysis: Fiscal and Policy Note

Synopsis

Requiring each county board of education to develop and implement, not later than the 2027-2028 school year, a policy limiting the use of certain electronic communication devices by a student during the academic school day; and prohibiting the policy from restricting the use of an electronic communication device for purposes documented in a student's individual education program, to address a documented health issue, during an emergency event, for certain educational purposes, to access language translation tools, or to meet caregiving duties.

Committees

Original:: Ways and Means Click to view Recorded Media

Opposite:: Education, Energy, and the Environment

Committee Testimony

Witness List

Details

Cross-filed with: SB0928

Introduced in a prior session as: HB0630 Session: 2025 Regular Session

Bill File Type: Regular

Effective Date(s): July 1, 2026

History

Legislation History
Chamber House Calendar Date 1/27/2026 Legislative Date 1/27/2026 Action First Reading Ways and Means Proceedings
Chamber Calendar Date Legislative Date Action Text - First - County Boards of Education - Student Electronic Communication Device Use Policy - Establishment (Maryland Phone-Free Schools Act) Proceedings
Chamber House Calendar Date 2/04/2026 Legislative Date 2/04/2026 Action Hearing 2/18 at 1:00 p.m. Proceedings
Chamber Calendar Date Legislative Date Action Vote - House - Committee - Ways and Means Proceedings Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber House Calendar Date 3/21/2026 Legislative Date 3/21/2026 Action Favorable with Amendments Report by Ways and Means Proceedings
Chamber House Calendar Date 3/21/2026 Legislative Date 3/09/2026 Action Favorable with Amendments {293220/1 Adopted Proceedings 46 Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber House Calendar Date 3/21/2026 Legislative Date 3/09/2026 Action Second Reading Passed with Amendments Proceedings 46 Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber Calendar Date Legislative Date Action Text - Third - County Boards of Education - Student Electronic Communication Device Use Policy - Establishment (Maryland Phone-Free Schools Act) Proceedings
Chamber House Calendar Date 3/23/2026 Legislative Date 3/11/2026 Action Third Reading Passed (135-1) Proceedings 48 Click to view Recorded Media
Chamber Senate Calendar Date 3/23/2026 Legislative Date 3/07/2026 Action Referred Education, Energy, and the Environment Proceedings 46 Click to view Recorded Media

Chamber	Calendar Date	Legislative Date	Action	Proceedings
House	1/27/2026	1/27/2026	First Reading Ways and Means
			Text - First - County Boards of Education - Student Electronic Communication Device Use Policy - Establishment (Maryland Phone-Free Schools Act)
House	2/04/2026	2/04/2026	Hearing 2/18 at 1:00 p.m.
			Vote - House - Committee - Ways and Means	Click to view Recorded Media
House	3/21/2026	3/21/2026	Favorable with Amendments Report by Ways and Means
House	3/21/2026	3/09/2026	Favorable with Amendments {293220/1 Adopted	46 Click to view Recorded Media
House	3/21/2026	3/09/2026	Second Reading Passed with Amendments	46 Click to view Recorded Media
			Text - Third - County Boards of Education - Student Electronic Communication Device Use Policy - Establishment (Maryland Phone-Free Schools Act)
House	3/23/2026	3/11/2026	Third Reading Passed (135-1)	48 Click to view Recorded Media
Senate	3/23/2026	3/07/2026	Referred Education, Energy, and the Environment	46 Click to view Recorded Media

File Code

Subjects

Statutes