HB 525

County Boards of Education - Student Electronic Communication Device Use Policy - Establishment (Joanne C. Benson Maryland Phone-Free Schools Act)

Sponsor: Adrian Boafo (District 23)Committee: Ways and MeansSubject: Primary and Secondary EducationStatus: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 596 (as of Sep 4, 2026)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Requiring each county board of education to develop and implement, by the 2027-2028 school year, a policy prohibiting the use of certain electronic communication devices by a student during the academic school day; and prohibiting the policy from restricting the use of an electronic communication device for purposes of accommodations related to a disability, including for any purpose in a student's individual education program, to address a documented health issue, to access language translation tools, or to meet caregiving responsibilities.

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Testimony (38)

MGA witness list

FAV 24FavorableFWA 3Favorable with amendmentsUNF 7UnfavorableINFO 4Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	DeMinco, Lynne	BCRW	Position only
FAV	Tao, Betsy	Distraction Free Schools MD, MCCPTA Technology Committee	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Shiferaw, Bzu	Fairplay	Oral
FAV	Chandra, Mickie	Maryland Blockchain Association	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Olateju, Oluwatosin	Maryland Public Health Association (MdPHA)	Written (PDF)
FAV	Lamb, Laurenlobbyist	Maryland State Education Association	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Constantine, Heather	Self employed	Written (PDF)
FAV	Garratt, Jessica	UP Smartphone Free Childhood group (University Park, MD)	Written (PDF)
FAV	Cline, Lisa	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Davani, Kimya	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Delegate Boafo, Delegate Boafolegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Derrendinger, Agnes	Individual	Oral
FAV	Frank, James	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Holden, Catherine	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Jarrett, Beth	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Lang, Alan	Individual	Position only
FAV	Lerner, Alana	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Mauer, William	Individual	Position only
FAV	McComas, Christine	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Minor, Mia	Individual	Oral
FAV	Mugnier, Monica	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Tibbals, Trudy	Individual	Position only
FAV	Unger, Lindsay	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Weber, Sarah	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Wilson, Grace	Anne Arundel County Public Schools	Written (PDF)
UNF	Sterrette, Dawana	Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners	Written (PDF)
UNF	Goff, Jessicalobbyist	Maryland Association of Boards of Education	Written (PDF)
UNF	Ursprung, Patricia	Montgomery County Board of Education	Written (PDF)
UNF	Othman, Ronza	National Federation of the Blind of Maryland	Written (PDF)
UNF	Andrione, William	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Fannon, Mary Patlobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
FWA	Cross, Dr Cashenna A	Councilwoman At-Large, Glenarden	Written (PDF)
FWA	Stoddard, Jason	National Council of School Safety Directors (NCSSD)	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Garratt, Amanda	Individual	Written (PDF)
INFO	Barnes, Andrea	Governor's Office for Children	Written (PDF)
INFO	Cratsley, Laurel	Maryland State Department of Education	Written (PDF)
INFO	Kolp, Ande	Individual	Written (PDF)
INFO	Krone, Christinelobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

Anne Arundel County Public SchoolsUNF 1

Baltimore City Board of School CommissionersUNF 1

BCRWFAV 1

Councilwoman At-Large, GlenardenFWA 1

Distraction Free Schools MD, MCCPTA Technology CommitteeFAV 1

FairplayFAV 1

Governor's Office for ChildrenINFO 1

Maryland Association of Boards of EducationUNF 1

Maryland Blockchain AssociationFAV 1

Maryland Public Health Association (MdPHA)FAV 1

Maryland State Department of EducationINFO 1

Maryland State Education AssociationFAV 1

Montgomery County Board of EducationUNF 1

National Council of School Safety Directors (NCSSD)FWA 1

National Federation of the Blind of MarylandUNF 1

Self employedFAV 1

UP Smartphone Free Childhood group (University Park, MD)FAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVLamb, LaurenMaryland State Education AssociationRegistered for: Maryland State Education Association

UNFGoff, JessicaMaryland Association of Boards of EducationRegistered for: Maryland Association of Boards of Education

UNFFannon, Mary PatRegistered for: Public School Superintendents' Association of Maryland

INFOKrone, ChristineRegistered for: American Coatings Association; Baltimore Gas and Electric Company; City of Rockville; Coordinating Center for Home and Community Care, The, LLC (dba The Coordinating Center); Greater Washington Society for Clinical Social Work, Inc.; LifeSpan Network…