SB 160 — STUDENT USE OF WIRELESS COMMUNICATION PLANS

SENATE BILL 160 57TH LEGISLATURE -STATEOFNEWMEXICO-- STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSION, 2025 INTRODUCED BY Antonio Maestas 6This 8document 10may ANincorporate ACTamendments RELATINGproposed TOby PUBLICa EDUCATION;committee, but not yet adopted, as well as amendments that have been adopted during the current legislative session.

REQUIRINGThe THATdocument EACHis SCHOOLa DISTRICTtool ANDto CHARTERshow SCHOOLamendments ADOPTin ANDcontext IMPLEMENTand Acannot POLICYbe FORused THEfor USEthe OFpurpose WIRELESSof COMMUNICATIONadding DEVICESamendments BYto STUDENTSlegislation. IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS;

REQUIRINGh THEAN PUBLICACT EDUCATIONg DEPARTMENTo RELATING TO PROVIDEPUBLIC POLICYEDUCATION; GUIDELINES;

REQUIRING THAT EACH SCHOOL t hr g e i k DISTRICT AND CHARTER SCHOOL ADOPT AND IMPLEMENT A POLICY EVALUATIONS.FOR h r i s THE USE OF WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICES BY STUDENTS IN PUBLIC h , t, SCHOOLS;

eREQUIRING tTHE 17PUBLIC BEEDUCATION ITDEPARTMENT ENACTEDTO BYPROVIDE THEe LEGISLATUREu OFg THEe STATEb OFl NEWe MEXICO:e h POLICY GUIDELINES SECº ;

wREQUIRING lPOLICY nEVALUATIONS»SEC. d 18 SECTION 1.

An newd sectiond ofi the= Public= Schoolo Codeh isl =] =b 19,d i a lº enactede toBE read:IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

r i a= e r 20t "[NEWe MATERIAL]w WIRELESSd COMMUNICATIONm DEVICE-- a tn mo mSECTION 211. DEFINITION--POLICY--USE OF DEVICE BY STUDENTS.-- d r e 22 A.

AsA usednew insection this section, "wireless communication c e s k 23 device" means a portable electronic device capable of ethe aPublic nSchool bCode 24is transmittingd voice,m text: or data, including a:

b e d s º o t n = .229396.1AIC February 13, 2025 (11:54am) s k m e e a n e d r e l u [ (1)A cellulard phoneenacted orto smartphone;read:

.229396.1"[NEW (2)MATERIAL] tabletWIRELESS computer;COMMUNICATION DEVICE-- DEFINITION--POLICY--USE OF DEVICE BY STUDENTS.-- A.

As used in this section, "wireless communication device" means a portable electronic device capable of transmitting voice, text or data, including a:

(1) cellular phone SECº or»SEC SECº,»SEC smartphone SECºor smartwatch»SEC ;

(2) tablet computer;

The department shall issue guidelines outlining the minimum requirements for a wireless communication device policy, including that a policy h shall:

g o t hr (1) prohibit a student from using a wireless g e i k communication device during instructional hours;

h r i s (2) authorize a teacher to permit a student to h , t, use a wireless communication device for educational purposes e u g e b l e e h during instructional hours;

n d d i = = o h (3) permit a student to use a wireless l ] b ,d i a º e communication device in the event of an emergency or to manage er i = r t 17e w d m a n o the student's health care;

w l n d 18 (4) permit a student to use a wireless = = 19 a l communication device for accessibility purposes, including i a e r 20 text-to-speech, speech-to-text or other assistive technologies a t m m: 21 that aid in communication, navigation or learning;

b e d rs eº 22o (5)t providen protections= for.229396.1AIC studentFebruary privacy13, c2025 e(11:54am) s k 23m ande confidentiality- related2 to- thee permissiblea usen ofe ad r e l u [ A d (4) permit a nstudent bto 24use a wireless communication device atfor school;accessibility purposes, including text-to-speech, speech-to-text or other assistive technologies that aid in communication, navigation or learning;

u(5) [ (6) provide protections for student privacy and confidentiality related to the permissible use of a .229396.1 - 2 - wireless communication device duringat non-instructionalschool; hours;

(6) provide for the permissible use of a wireless communication device during non-instructional hours;

SECº C.

After proper notification requirements for a public meeting are satisfied, each school district or charter school shall hold at least one public meeting, in person or virtually, to allow for public comment regarding a proposed h wireless communication device policy.policy.»SEC g o t hr SECºD.»SEC SECºC.»SEC A wireless communication g e i k device policy adopted and implemented pursuant to this section h r i s shall not prohibit a student from using a wireless h , t, e u g communication device during instructional hours if the use of e b l e e h the device is a medical necessity, an accommodation for a n d d i = = o h student with a disability or included in a student's l ] b ,d i a º e r i = r individualized education program.

D.t e w d m a n o SECº E.»SEC SECºD.»SEC Upon adoption of a wireless d m :

Ab wirelesse communicationd devices policyº adoptedo andt implementedn pursuant= to.229396.1AIC thisFebruary section13, shall2025 not(11:54am) prohibits ak studentm frome using- 3 - e a wirelessn communicatione deviced duringr instructionale hoursl ifu the[ useA ofd thecommunication device ispolicy, aeach medicalschool necessity,district anor accommodationcharter forschool ashall studentpublish withthe apolicy disabilityon orthe includedschool indistrict's aor student'scharter individualizedschool's educationwebsite. program.

E.SECº "»SEC SECºF.

UponSchool adoptiondistricts ofand acharter wirelessschools communicationshall deviceannually eevaluate tthe 17effectiveness policy,of eachtheir schoolrespective districtwireless orcommunication charterdevice schoolpolicies and shall publishreport w l n d 18 the policyfindings onto the schooldepartment. district's or charter school's = = 19 a l website.

iG. a e r 20 F.

School districts and charter schools shall aprovide ttraining mfor mteachers, 21administrators annuallyand evaluatestaff theon effectivenessthe»SEC ofSECºeffective theirimplementation respectiveof dthe r e 22 wireless communication device policiespolicy, and the policy shall reportbe thecommunicated cto estudents sand kparents 23upon findingsimplementation toand on an ongoing basis at the department.beginning of each school year."»SEC SECTION 2.

e a n b 24 G.

School districts and charter schools shall u [ provide training for teachers, administrators and staff on the .229396.1 - 3 - effective implementation of the wireless communication device policy, and the policy shall be communicated to students and parents upon implementation and on an ongoing basis at the beginning of each school year." SECTION 2.

- 4 - 9h 11u 13» 15r t h g e l i h r i s h , e h t 17u wg e b l e e , gh n d 18d i = = 19o ah l i] ab e,d ri 20 a tº m m 21 d r e 22r c= t e sw kd 23m e a n bo 24d um [: .229396.1

b r e t º o t n = .229396.1AIC February 13, 2025 (11:54am) s k m e e a n e d r e l u [ A d