Kansas cell phone legislation update

Kansas’ student cell phone legislation has taken a winding path this session, moving from early Senate momentum to House substitution, floor passage, and now back to the Senate Education Committee. 

Here is the full picture of how the policy has evolved and where it stands today.

The session begins in the Senate: SB 302

The legislative session began with the Senate introducing and hearing SB 302, the chamber’s primary vehicle for a statewide student cell phone policy.
SB 302 generally proposes:

1. A bell-to-bell prohibition on student use of personal electronic devices during the school day.
2. Requirements for devices to be powered off and securely stored.
3. Exceptions for documented medical necessity or disability accommodations.
4. Direction to local districts on policy adoption and enforcement.

The bill received a hearing in Senate Education but slowed after concerns arose about including accredited private schools in a statewide mandate. As the Senate calendar tightened, the House moved forward with their own bill.

The House advances HB 2421

The House Education Committee took up HB 2421, which initially required both public school districts and accredited private schools to prohibit student device use during the school day.

The bill also included:

1. General screen-time reporting requirements for K–4 students.
2. Restrictions on one-on-one electronic communication between school employees and students.
3. Certification requirements for adopted policies.

Monday 2/9: Amendments and a major shift

During committee deliberations, lawmakers:

• Removed the K–4 screen-time reporting requirement.
• Clarified language around “official school purposes.”
• Adopted restrictions on private communication between staff and students.
• Held districts harmless for lost or damaged student devices.
• Left enforcement logistics largely to local school districts.

The most consequential amendment changed “shall” to “may,” temporarily converting the entire bill from a mandate into a voluntary option.

Tuesday 2/11: Reconsideration and a split standard

The committee reconsidered the bill and adopted a split framework:

• Public school districts shall implement a cell phone ban policy.
• Accredited private schools may choose whether to do so.

This restored a mandate for public schools while granting discretion to private institutions.
After adopting this language, the House inserted the contents of HB 2421 into SB 281, creating a House Substitute for SB 281.

House floor passage

The House Substitute for SB 281 was debated and passed on the House floor. Since the House significantly amended the Senate bill, it returned to the Senate for consideration. 

Senate ruling: "Materially Altered"

On February 18th, the Senate ruled that the substitute version of SB 281 was “materially altered.” When a bill is deemed materially altered, it reverts to its original language and is re-referred to committee. (This process is governed by Rule 73 of the Kansas Senate Rules, 2025–2028). In this case, the bill was sent back to the Senate Education Committee. This is a procedural move reset the legislation back to its to its base version.

SB 281 was sent back to the Senate Education Committee. Importantly, this ruling does not kill the policy language that passed the House.

Why the House language is still alive

Although SB 281 reverted to its original Senate form, the House Substitute language remains fully viable.

Here’s why:

• The House has formally passed that language on its floor.
• Any Senate committee may introduce amendments that mirror the House Substitute language.
• If both chambers pass different versions of a bill, a conference committee can negotiate and insert previously adopted language into a final agreement.

In other words, reverting to SB 281 does not erase the House’s work. The language that passed the House floor can be brought back through:

1. Senate committee amendments
2. Floor amendments
3. Conference committee negotiations

Procedurally, the policies agreed to by the House are still very much in play.

What happens next

With SB 281 reset and returned to Senate Education, the Senate is positioned to continue discussions. Given that SB 302 already received a hearing and reflects the Senate’s original framework, it is likely the committee will resume work using SB 302 as the primary vehicle moving forward.

Maintaining multiple vehicles is common late in session. Legislators can move language between bills, merge language, or reconcile differences in conference committee if both chambers pass different versions.

The House Substitute language is still alive. SB 302 remains a viable Senate vehicle. And final outcomes will depend on Senate committee action and potential conference negotiations.

Aligned’s Take: A clear, bell-to-bell cell phone policy remains achievable during this session. The procedural reset does not signal the end of the policy — only the next stage of negotiation. We will continue tracking developments as the Senate determines its next steps.