The House passed its first bill of the 60th legislative session today prohibiting the use of cell phones by students during the school day.

The bill would require Oklahoma school boards to adopt policies prohibiting cell phone use on campus before the start of the next school year. Personal electronic devices, including smartwatches, are also included under the measure.

Chairman of the House Appropriations Education Subcommittee Chad Caldwell authored House Bill 1276 to eliminate distractions in the classroom and improve student academic outcomes.

"The research is clear – cell phone use among young students is not only bad for their mental health, but also hurts academic outcomes," said Caldwell, R-Enid. "To pass legislation this meaningful this early in session with overwhelming bipartisan support is a testament to how important this issue is. Our kids and teachers deserve a phone-free environment at school and we are well on our way to making that a reality."

The legislation requires that any policy prohibiting cell phone use must also include a provision for emergency use, including items used for medical issues. The bill also leaves it up to the local district how it chooses to implement the cell phone ban.

"This bill protects local control while also allowing kids to be kids and teachers to teach when at school," said House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow. "I am proud that our caucus identified this as a priority before session and moved quickly to make this happen."

Under HB1276, school boards could choose to allow student cell phone use but the policy must be approved annually. The bill passed the House floor with a vote of 82-9 and will now move to the Senate for further consideration.