Let School Districts Decide: Please Veto HB2299

I am writing to respectfully urge you to veto HB2299. While I understand the desire to reduce distractions in classrooms, this bill goes far beyond addressing that issue. HB2299 would require schools to confiscate and securely lock away all personal electronic devices — including cell phones, smartwatches, and AirPods — making them completely inaccessible to students for the entire school day, for every student in grades K–12. This is not simply a “no phones in class” policy. It is an extremely rigid, one-size-fits-all mandate that would require schools to collect, store, and secure every student’s device every day. Schools cannot simply have students keep phones in backpacks, lockers, or a classroom caddy. Devices must be locked up and inaccessible all day. This would make Kansas home to the most restrictive device ban in the country, with no flexibility for programs that legitimately use technology such as CAPS, yearbook, newspaper/media classes, business courses, school stores, or other educational purposes. Just as concerning is the cost. Implementing this mandate is estimated to cost approximately $13.4 million for infrastructure, supplies, staffing, and storage space — with additional annual costs to maintain compliance. For rural and already underfunded districts like mine, this is an enormous burden. Schools should not be forced to divert limited resources away from students and classrooms to comply with an unfunded state mandate. Lawmakers should focus on addressing harmful online content and strengthening age-appropriate safeguards, rather than turning teachers and school staff into “contraband police.” Policies about student devices should be decided locally by school boards and districts who understand their communities, budgets, and educational needs. Local control allows schools to implement reasonable policies that reduce distractions while still maintaining flexibility for educational use and financial realities. HB2299 removes that flexibility and replaces it with an extreme and inflexible mandate that many schools will struggle to implement. For these reasons, I respectfully ask that you veto HB2299 and allow Kansas school districts to make their own decisions about how best to manage student devices. Thank you for your time and for your continued service to the people of Kansas.