Superintendent outlines bills to watch, including proposed ‘bell-to-bell’ ban on student cellphones

Superintendent Dr. Cobb briefed the Midwest City-Del City Board of Education on multiple bills moving through the Oklahoma Legislature and described how they could affect district policy and practice if enacted.

Dr. Cobb said House Bill 1276 would require districts to ban cellphones and smartwatches "from the first bell to the last bell of the day" unless a district adopts an exception and then reaffirms that exception annually. He described the bill as having momentum in both chambers and noted the governor referenced similar measures in the state address. "In essence, we will have to ban cell phones and smart watches for students from the first bell to the last bell of the day unless we adopt a policy saying otherwise," Dr. Cobb said.

The superintendent flagged several other bills and topics:

- House Bill 1937: described as an "opting out" mechanism for parents to decline mass school communications; Dr. Cobb said he was reviewing the bill to understand author intent and operational impacts. - Broadcast rights: a proposed change would allow local broadcast teams to continue covering athletic postseason events even when a statewide contract exists. - Moving bond elections and school board elections to November of even-numbered years: proponents say it would increase turnout; trustees expressed concern that higher turnout may not mean more informed voters. - Senate Bill 1023: language under consideration would require affirmative legislative approval of administrative rules, rather than allowing them to proceed by default; Dr. Cobb said this could change how rules from the State Board of Education are enacted. - Other bills mentioned included ones addressing due process for teachers and districts and changes to communications law that could affect McKinney-Vento (homelessness) communications and non-guardian contacts in certain circumstances.

Board members discussed logistics and local impacts. Trustees asked how a cell-phone ban would work around medical needs and after-school activities; Dr. Cobb noted the draft bill includes medical-exception language and said districts commonly keep phones in backpacks or in offices when necessary. He also said he planned to visit districts that have already implemented similar rules before bringing a local policy proposal to the board.

Why it matters: Each of the bills described would change district policy or administrative processes (communications, student device rules, elections, and administrative-rule approvals) if they become law. The board asked the superintendent to continue tracking the bills and to bring proposals or recommended policy actions back to the board when the bills’ language approaches final form.

No action was taken at the meeting on any of the bills; the superintendent and appointed co-legislative liaisons will monitor developments and report back.