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(Des Moines, IA) -- A proposal to restrict the use of phones in classrooms across Iowa is nearing the end of its legislative journey. The State Senate passed the bill Monday, but it's not quite ready for Governor Kim Reynolds' desk. Because senators changed the timeline so that it's effective upon the governor's signature, the House must again approve the proposal. Though the bill passed the Senate unanimously, State Sen. Herman Quirmbach (D-Ames) calls the approach the bare minimum.
"This bill is going to make some people feel good I suppose, but it really won't do much as far as changing the facts on the ground," Quirmbach says. "School districts, the large majority of them, are already addressing the issue...but if this bill encourages more of them to get on with it and at least some minimalist policy, I suppose that's a good thing."
State Sen. Lynn Evans (R-Aurelia), the chair of the Senate Education Committee and the bill's floor manager, says that's what the proposal is about. He also says the minimalism is intentional and helps set guidelines.
"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 says. "But it doesn't take away local control. It allows them to develop this policy in a manner that best fits their school district."
On top of changing the timeline, the Senate also added back in a requirement for the Department of Education to share a model policy with districts. That provision was initially in the bill, but removed by the House. If an agreement is reached between chambers and the bill gets to the Governor, she's expected to sign it as it was a talking point in this year's Condition of the State address.