Maryland lawmakers are moving to put students’ phones on lockdown. On Tuesday, the House of Delegates signed off on a measure that would keep kids’ personal electronic devices out of reach from the first bell to the last, creating a statewide structure for how schools must stash phones and similar gadgets during the day while letting local boards sort out the fine print. Legislators say they are aiming to cut down on distractions and boost focus in class, even as some districts push back on the statewide mandate.
What the bill would require
House Bill 755 casts a wide net with its definition of a “personal electronic device” and orders each county board to craft and put in place a policy that bars student device use during “school day hours” by the 2026–2027 school year, according to the Maryland General Assembly. Under the bill, students must “store” their devices during the school day, and the legislation specifies that discipline for breaking the rule cannot include suspension or expulsion if the phone policy violation is the only offense.
How school leaders reacted
Some superintendents and district leaders are not thrilled about the statewide directive, arguing it chips away at local authority and flexibility, as reported by The Banner. The Banner notes that Baltimore City and several other districts already rely on storage systems, from locked pouches to backpack-only rules, and that city officials objected to bill language they felt could curb their power to set even stricter limits.
State data and the national picture
A state task force found that many Maryland systems are already trying to keep phones out of the school-day mix. Staff with the state education department told the State Board that 18 of 24 local education agencies reported some bell-to-bell limits for younger students, according to the Maryland State Department of Education. The push in Annapolis mirrors a broader national trend, with Education Week tracking dozens of states that have rolled out limits or outright bans on student devices. Public sentiment is running in the same direction: a June 2025 survey from the Pew Research Center found that roughly three-quarters of adults back banning cellphones during class.
What comes next in Annapolis
A similar plan is already in play in the Senate. A companion bill, SB 130, moved through that chamber earlier in the session, was adopted in committee, and uses comparable definitions and exceptions, according to the Maryland General Assembly. Before the change can become law, any differences between the House and Senate versions must be ironed out and a final bill delivered to the governor. After that, local school boards will get time to draft and approve the specific rules for how their schools collect and store student devices.
Legal note
The legislation spells out several protections alongside the restrictions. Students with documented needs under IEPs or 504 plans would still be allowed to use devices for health or accessibility purposes, and schools must maintain ways for students to reach their parents or guardians during the day. The structure is designed to pair statewide boundaries with local implementation, laying out a common framework for storing and managing devices while steering districts away from the harshest discipline for phone-related violations.
