Louisiana HR 98: STUDENTS: Requests that the state Department of Education study and report relative to the impact of the law banning student possession of telecommunications devices during the instructional day

Bill Text

ENROLLED
2025 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 98
BY REPRESENTATIVE OWEN
A RESOLUTION
To urge and request the state Department of Education to study the impact of Act No. 313
of the 2024 Regular Session of the Legislature, which enacted a ban on student
possession of telecommunications devices during the instructional day.
WHEREAS, Act No. 313 of the 2024 Regular Session of the Legislature enacted a
ban on student possession of electronic telecommunications devices during the instructional
day; and
WHEREAS, this bill passed with strong majorities in both the House and the Senate
and was supported by members of the public education academic and advocacy community,
including the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Louisiana
Federation of Teachers; and
WHEREAS, not all in Louisiana were in full agreement with this measure; some
expressed concern that this legislation was unnecessary and unadvisable; and
WHEREAS, in Vernon Parish, a group of highly engaged students at Rosepine High
School drafted a petition to ask the legislature to consider modifying this law; they collected
more than four hundred signatures from the high school and surrounding community; and
WHEREAS, these students relayed concerns over safety and health and other
legitimate issues related to not having access to cell phones during the school day and asked
for assistance in revisiting this legislation from their district's state representative, who has
great respect for their initiative and believes their voices should be heard; and
WHEREAS, the impact of this law, particularly with respect to student performance,
merits further study on a statewide level.
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HR NO. 98 ENROLLED
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge and request the state Department of Education to
study the impact of Act No. 313 of the 2024 Regular Session of the Legislature, which
enacted a ban on student possession of telecommunications devices during the instructional
day, including but not limited to factors related to student performance that may be
attributable to the law.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state superintendent of education may report
to the author of this Resolution relative to the findings of the study either orally or in writing.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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