By Brian Porter | Rocky Mountain Voice
The debate to end all debates may soon reach a conclusion.
State lawmakers Wednesday advanced House Bill 25-1135, by Steamboat Springs Democrat Rep. Meghan Lukens and El Paso County Republican Rep. Mary Bradfield, a measure requiring schools adopt and implement a student communication device policy. The bill now moves to the House floor on a 11-1 vote of the House Education Committee.
While the measure’s concepts were broadly supported in the committee hearing, in many schools across the state, suspension of cell phone access in the classroom has raised the ire of parents and students. Many schools have local policy restricting cell phone use, largely brought by educators who have increasingly said classroom distractions have grown beyond their ability to educate. Not all parents and students have opposed the policy.
“One of the greatest distractions in the classroom is cell phones,” said Lukens, a former social studies teacher. “[The bill] will minimize distractions in the classroom.”
At the same time, she says the bill retains local control to allow school boards to adapt a policy to a local school and community. There are 19 states with some form of similar state policy, she says. The bill requires a policy to be adapted by July 2026.
“I refuse to sit on sidelines as our youth struggle,” Bradfield said. “Our children need our leadership now.”
School officials from various organizations and locales all supported the measure during the hearing.
“If a school does not have a policy, that is to their detriment,” Bradfield said. “We are asking that everyone have a policy they enact. That, again, is up to their school board or administration.”
Fort Morgan Republican Rep. Dusty Johnson argued the language of “shall” rather than “may” in the legislation was a step too far. She was the one dissenting vote.
“I love the concept of this bill,” she said. “I agree cell phones create distractions. If it was a ‘may’ instead of a ‘shall’, I would be on board.”
The Brush School District, in Johnson’s House district, was among the first in the state to debate and implement a student cell phone use policy.
The Colorado Association of School Boards additionally supported the language change to “may”.
The National Education Agency indicates 83% of teachers nationwide support a restriction of classroom cell phone use, the committee was told, and one person noted how student communication and relations improve as cell phones are restricted.
The committee includes former educators and school board members, such as Democrat Rep. Lesley Smith, who had pause with the state instructing local schools on policy it “shall” form and implement.
“I would prefer it to be permissive, and for CASB to push out model initiatives,” she said, adding a concern for what it may cost locally to implement. The bill’s fiscal note indicates it will not cause a state expense.
Denver Democrat Rep. Jennifer Bacon clarified a position “on behalf of all kids in the state of Colorado, this is what we believe we need to do.” She also was formerly a school board member. “I support that local school districts can find the best way to do it,” she added.
The measure is necessary, Weld County Republican Rep. Lori Garcia Sander said, because “there’s a phone addiction.” She notes that addiction may start before children reach elementary school.
Democrat Rep. Eliza Hamrick joined Garcia Sander’s concern: “This could be good training.”
Douglas County Republican Rep. Anthony Hartsook leapt praise onto the bill before supporting it.
“This is a great, common sense, bipartisan bill,” he said. “Let’s get [children] talking to each other, running around the playground together, on and on.”
HB 1135 also has bipartisan sponsors — Democrat Sen. Janice Marchman and Republican Sen. Lisa Frizell — should it advance out of the House.