Schools would have to make rules limiting students' access to their cellphones under a bill unanimously passed out of the Iowa Senate Monday. School districts can have stricter bans but they must at least restrict personal devices during instructional time.
Sen. Herman Quirmach, D-Ames, voted yes for the proposal but says he doesn’t think the bill will change much since school districts can already formulate their own policies.
“Most districts have already adopted policies far more limiting than this bill. But if this bill encourages a few more to get on with it and adopt some minimalist policy, I suppose that’s a good thing.”
Students with disabilities can qualify for exceptions if their education program requires they have access to their device.
The bill now heads back to the House.