Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed House Bill 250 on Wednesday, requiring schools to implement official policy governing students’ use of cellphones during school hours.
The bill aims to “minimize student use of cellphones in K-12 schools” by requiring school districts to create a policy that reduces cellphone-related distractions in classroom settings.
The legislation includes exceptions for students who require a cell phone to monitor a health concern or for student learning as determined by school officials.
Schools must adopt their cell phone policies no later than July 2025, ahead of the 2025-2026 school year, under the law.
https://x.com/GovMikeDeWine/status/1791097784797372470
DeWine, noting how students “face countless distractions every day from the devices in their pockets,” said House Bill 250 reestablishes the “opportunity for students across Ohio to immerse themselves in their classwork, learn from their teachers, and create lifelong memories with their closest friends.”
“Local school districts will create the policies that work best in their environments and for their students, but the core mission of this bill is clear: minimize screen time during school time,” DeWine added. “Not only is this time precious for the educational development of our children, but we also have a responsibility to safeguard our kids from the nonstop barrage of alerts from the internet and social media that have been proven to be damaging to their mental health.”
Ohio Lt. Governor Jon Husted also applauded the bill’s passage, saying, “You improve student academic performance and reduce bullying and disciplinary issues when you get phones out of the classroom.”
https://x.com/LtGovHusted/status/1788301929656807876
House Bill 250 also honors high school graduates entering a university Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program or a military service academy with a Military Seal on their high school diploma.
The bill passed unanimously in both the Ohio Senate and House of Representatives.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Ohio Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
