School Cell Phone Bill Sent To Governor

RISON - Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is expected to sign legislation that will ban the use of cell phones at school with the beginning of the 2025-26 school year after the so-called "Bell to Bell, No Cell Act" was approved by the state senate on Tuesday.In addition, the state Senate also approved SB59 on Monday that provide free breakfast to any student who wants. That program is being funded through medical marijuana tax revenue.Gov. Sanders is expected to sign both bills since she proposed them during her "State of the State" address last month. Both will become effective with the start of the 2025-26 school year.Senate Bill (SB) 142 was approved by a 27-1 vote in the state Senate Tuesday morning. Four state senators voted "present" on the bill while one did not vote. District 1 State Sen. Ben Gilmore (R-Crossett), who represents all of Cleveland County, voted for the bill.An amended version of SB142 was approved by the state House of Representatives last Thursday, Feb. 13, by a 97-1 margin. The bill approved by the Senate included those some amendments. Both of Cleveland County's representatives in the state House, District 93 Rep. Mike Holcomb (R-Pine Bluff) and Rep. Sonia Barker (R-Smackover), voted for the bill.SB142 states that "each public school district and open-enrollment public charter school" shall submit a policy that restricts the "possession of a personal electronic device during the school day." The ban would be for the entire "school day," which is defined as "the time students are required to be at school until the time students are dismissed from school." Exemptions to the ban include: Students who are required to use the device for health reasons Possession and use of personal devices after a school day for extracurricular activities.In addition, the House of Representatives made the following amendments to the bill: Exempt the possession or use of a dev...