County Boards of Education - Student Cellular Phone Use Policy - Established (No Distracted Learning Act)

HB 192 requires Maryland county school boards to adopt policies banning student cell phone use during instructional time, lunch (for elementary/middle school), and passing periods (for all grades), except for students with documented health needs requiring device use under IEPs or 504 plans. The bill mandates a three-step disciplinary process: a warning for a first violation, confiscation for a second violation, and further disciplinary action for subsequent violations. Confiscated phones must be returned to parents/guardians or given to the student at day’s end if parents cannot retrieve them. The policy directly affects all public school students and school boards across Maryland, aiming to reduce classroom distractions during specified school hours.