SB 928

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

Sponsor: Kevin M. Harris (District 27)Committee: Education, Energy, and the EnvironmentSubject: Primary and Secondary EducationStatus: Hearing 4/01 at 1:00 p.m. (as of Sep 4, 2026)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Requiring each county board of education to develop and implement, not later than 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 documented in a student's individual education program, to address a documented health issue, to access language translation tools under certain circumstances, or to meet approved caregiving duties; etc.

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Testimony (64)

MGA witness list

FAV 45FavorableFWA 4Favorable with amendmentsUNF 12UnfavorableINFO 3Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	DeMinco, Lynne	BCRW	Position only
FAV	Tao, Betsy	Distraction Free Schools MD, MCCPTA Technology Committee	Written (PDF)
FAV	Tao, Betsy	Distraction Free Schools MD, MCCPTA Technology Committee	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Shiferaw, Bzu	Fairplay	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kocik, Jimara	HCAS	Position only
FAV	Mock, Casey	Jonathan Haidt and The Anxious Generation Movement	Written (PDF)
FAV	Chandra, Mickie	Maryland Blockchain Association	Written (PDF)
FAV	Chandra, Mickie	Maryland Blockchain Association	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Olateju, Oluwatosin	Maryland Public Health Association (MdPHA)	Written (PDF)
FAV	Cratsley, Laurel	Maryland State Department of Education	Written (PDF)
FAV	Johnson, Seanlobbyist	Maryland State Education Association	Oral
FAV	Lamb, Laurenlobbyist	Maryland State Education Association	Written (PDF)
FAV	Lamb, Laurenlobbyist	Maryland State Education Association	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Mosbaek, Kristen	Montgomery County resident & teacher	Written (PDF)
FAV	Gupta, Nidhi	Plan to testify on behalf of Phreedom Foundation (Ungrip Devices. Grip Life)	Oral
FAV	Garratt, Jessica	UP Smartphone Free Childhood group (University Park, MD)	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kaplowitz, Richard KAP	Year	Written (PDF)
FAV	Alyea, Jacqueline	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Barash, Daniel	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Barnes, Andrea	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Croke, Amy	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Finisdore, John	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Frank, James	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Garratt, Amanda	Individual	Oral
FAV	Hamilton, Rebecca	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Harris, Kevin M.	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Joseph, Jeremy	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Lerner, Alana	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Lerner, Alana	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Lippa, Sara	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Marsh, Abigail	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Mathis, Erin	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Mathis, Joshua	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	McComas, Christine	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Minor, Mia	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Senator Harris, Senator Harrislegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Senator Harris, Senator Harrislegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Stickler, Meredith	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Tenenbaum, Cara	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Tibbals, Trudy	Individual	Position only
FAV	Unger, Lindsay	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Unger, Lindsay	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Uzupus, Colleen	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Weber, Sarah	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Winthrop, Anna	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Wilson, Grace	Anne Arundel County Public Schools	Written (PDF)
UNF	Wilson, Grace	Anne Arundel County Public Schools	Written (PDF)
UNF	Sterrette, Dawana	Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners	Written (PDF)
UNF	Howard County, Staff	Board of Education of Howard County	Written (PDF)
UNF	Goff, Jessicalobbyist	Maryland Association of Boards of Education	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	Othman, Ronza	National Federation of the Blind of Maryland	Written (PDF)
UNF	Anderson, Zaniah	Public School Superintendents' Association of Maryland	Written (PDF)
UNF	Lerol, Travis	Travis Lerol	Position only
UNF	Fannon, Mary Patlobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
FWA	Cross, Dr Cashenna A	Councilwoman At-Large, Glenarden	Written (PDF)
FWA	Garratt, Amanda	Individual	Written (PDF)
FWA	Mathis, Erin	Individual	Written (PDF)

Showing 60 of 64

Organizations on record

Anne Arundel County Public SchoolsUNF 2

Baltimore City Board of School CommissionersUNF 1

BCRWFAV 1

Board of Education of Howard CountyUNF 1

Councilwoman At-Large, GlenardenFWA 1

Distraction Free Schools MD, MCCPTA Technology CommitteeFAV 2

FairplayFAV 1

HCASFAV 1

Jonathan Haidt and The Anxious Generation MovementFAV 1

Maryland Association of Boards of EducationUNF 2

Maryland Blockchain AssociationFAV 2

Maryland Public Health Association (MdPHA)FAV 1

Maryland State Department of EducationFAV 1INFO 1

Maryland State Education AssociationFAV 3

Montgomery County Board of EducationUNF 1

Montgomery County resident & teacherFAV 1

National Federation of the Blind of MarylandUNF 2

Plan to testify on behalf of Phreedom Foundation (Ungrip Devices. Grip Life)FAV 1

Public School Superintendents' Association of MarylandUNF 1

Travis LerolUNF 1

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

YearFAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVJohnson, SeanMaryland State Education AssociationRegistered for: Maryland State Education Association

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…