Iowa Senate lawmakers unanimously approved Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ bill to ban cellphones during instructional time in the state’s public school districts on Monday.
The bill would require Iowa school districts to adopt a policy prohibiting cellphone use during instructional time and would require that districts have common sense exceptions for the policy, including exceptions for medical reasons or if it is required to comply with an individual education plan for special needs students.
The bill, House File 782, has now passed both chambers, however, due to a Senate amendment to the bill changing the date the bill would go into effect, it will go back to the House for final approval.
The bill was amended to include requirements that the Iowa Department of Education publish guidelines for school districts by May 1, 2025, after it was removed by the House.
Sen. Lynn Evans, R-Aurelia, said the bill is focused on addressing mental health concerns for students who “spend a majority time on electronic devices, especially with social media.”
“I believe that this is actually good legislation because we’re encouraging school boards to take up a matter that we all know could be a problem,” Evans said during debate Monday. “But it doesn’t take away local control. It allows them to develop this policy in a manner that best fits their school district and addresses the needs of their community.”
Sen. Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames, said the bill takes a minimalist approach and could be clearer, but instead the bill calls for schools to restrict rather than prohibit cellphone use during instructional time.
Iowa House approved increase in fines for open meetings violations
Iowa House lawmakers unanimously approved a bill that would increase the fines for violating Iowa’s open meeting laws, and a judge could order the removal of a public official from office if they have previously violated open meeting laws.
The bill, House File 706, would also require public officials to complete training on the state’s open meetings law offered by the state’s public information board.
The bill was sponsored by Iowa Rep. Gary Mohr, R-Bettendorf, who introduced the bill after the Davenport City Council paid nearly $2 million in settlements — without a public vote on the settlements — to former city employees who alleged they were harassed by city officials.
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“Taxpayer funds were channeled to former city employees and no answers after two years,” Mohr said. “I and every elected official in this room knows that this type of behavior is not and should not be acceptable.”
Mohr said the legislation will send a strong message that the legislature stands for transparency and accountability.
“Let’s send a strong message to the people of Davenport that we stand with them for greater transparency, freedom of information, and let’s hold our public officials accountable so this never happens again,” Mohr said.
The bill would increase fines for officials who violate open meeting or public records laws from between $100 and $500 to between $500 and $2,500.
The bill would also increase fines if a violation was committed knowingly from between $1,000 and $2,500 to between $5,000 and $12,500.
The bill will now head to the Senate, where it will have to go through the committee process before it heads to Senate floor for consideration.