By Nuria Martinez-Keel, Oklahoma Voice
OKLAHOMA CITY — A major priority for Oklahoma lawmakers and the governor was the first item on the House Common Education Committee’s agenda Wednesday.
In its first meeting of 2025, the committee voted 11-2 to pass House Bill 1276 with bipartisan support. The bill, from Rep. Chad Caldwell, R-Enid, would require public schools to ban students from using cellphones and smart watches while on campus. It would take effect July 1 and start applying in the 2025-26 school year.
It advances to the Education Oversight Committee, which must pass the legislation before it could be heard on the House floor.
Gov. Kevin Stitt and legislative leaders have said one of their top goals this year is curbing student cellphone use to reduce distractions in the classroom.
House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, voted in favor of the bill at the committee meeting.
“It’s time our classrooms return to being places of learning, not distractions,” Hilbert said in a statement afterward. “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.”
Rep. Chris Banning, R-Bixby, and Rep. Molly Jenkins, R-Coyle, were the only committee members to vote against the bill.
Banning noted in his line of questions to Caldwell that schools already can implement a cellphone ban voluntarily. The number of districts enacting similar policies has increased in recent years as the popularity of these prohibitions grows nationwide.
Caldwell said the bill would prompt all districts to develop their own cellphone-free policy.
“Candidly, I wish more of our schools would have already done that, but we’re going to help our schools do the right thing to go phone free,” he said during the committee meeting.
The state Senate will consider similar legislation in Senate Bill 139 from Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore.
