HB 781-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE
13Mar2025... 0733h
2025 SESSION
25-0843
02/09
HOUSE BILL 781-FN
AN ACT requiring school districts to adopt policies establishing a cell phone-free education.
SPONSORS: Rep. Litchfield, Rock. 32
COMMITTEE: Education Policy and Administration
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AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill requires school districts to adopt policies governing student cell phone use in schools.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
13Mar2025... 0733h 25-0843
02/09
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five
AN ACT requiring school districts to adopt policies establishing a cell phone-free education.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Paragraph; Cell Phone Use Policy. Amend RSA 189:1-a by inserting after paragraph IV the following new paragraph:
V. School boards and the board of trustees of chartered public schools shall develop and adopt a policy governing the use of student cell phones and other personal electronic communication devices in schools. The policy shall, at a minimum, restrict the use of student personal cell phones during class instruction, with approved exceptions determined by the superintendent or their designee with respect to student medical, disability, or language proficiency needs. School district policies shall not prohibit students with medical needs, such as insulin pumps and glucose sensors, or disabilities from using a device to support their learning as identified by their individualized education program (IEP), plan developed under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. section 794, or when required to support emergent multilingual students with appropriate language access programs and services pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.
25-0843
4/15/25
HB 781-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE (AMENDMENT #2025-0733h)
AN ACT requiring school districts to adopt policies establishing a cell phone-free education.
FISCAL IMPACT:
| ||||
Estimated Political Subdivision Impact | ||||
| FY 2025 | FY 2026 | FY 2027 | FY 2028 |
Local Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Local Expenditures | $0 | Indeterminable | ||
METHODOLOGY:
This bill, assumed to be effective for the 2025-2026 school year, requires public schools to adopt policies to limit the use of smartphones by students. Costs associated with this bill, if any, are indeterminable and would vary from district to district.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Education
| Date | Amendment |
|---|---|
| March 5, 2025 | 2025-0733h |
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 10, 2025 | House | Hearing |
| March 3, 2025 | House | Exec Session |
| March 3, 2025 | House | Exec Session |
| March 5, 2025 | House | Exec Session |
| March 5, 2025 | House | Floor Vote |
| April 1, 2025 | House | Exec Session |
| April 2, 2025 | House | Floor Vote |
| April 22, 2025 | Senate | Hearing |
April 15, 2025: Hearing: 04/22/2025, Room 101, LOB, 10:00 am; SC 18
April 11, 2025: Introduced 03/27/2025 and Referred to Education; SJ 10
April 10, 2025: Ought to Pass: MA VV 04/10/2025
April 2, 2025: Committee Report: Ought to Pass 04/02/2025 (Vote 25-0; CC) HC 19 P. 12
March 26, 2025: Executive Session: 04/01/2025 10:00 am LOB 210-211
March 19, 2025: Division II Work Session: 03/21/2025 01:00 pm LOB 209
March 14, 2025: Division II Work Session: 03/18/2025 10:00 am LOB 209
March 13, 2025: Referred to Finance 03/13/2025 HJ 8 P. 12
March 13, 2025: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2025-0733h: MA VV 03/13/2025 HJ 8 P. 12
March 13, 2025: Amendment # 2025-0733h (NT): AA VV 03/13/2025 HJ 8 P. 12
March 5, 2025: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0733h (NT) 03/05/2025 (Vote 16-1; CC)
Feb. 27, 2025: ==CONTINUED== Executive Session: 03/05/2025 09:30 am LOB 205-207
Feb. 20, 2025: ==RECESSED== Executive Session: 03/03/2025 01:00 pm LOB 205-207
Feb. 20, 2025: Executive Session: 03/03/2025 01:00 pm LOB 205-207
Feb. 25, 2025: Subcommittee Work Session: 03/03/2025 11:00 am LOB 203
Feb. 5, 2025: Public Hearing: 02/10/2025 10:15 am LOB 205-207
Jan. 23, 2025: Introduced (in recess of) 01/09/2025 and referred to Education Policy and Administration HJ 3 P. 27