Kansas Bill: HB 2421

Bill Summary

HB 2421 requires all Kansas school districts and accredited nonpublic schools to adopt “school hours” policies under which students must keep personal electronic communication devices (phones, smartwatches, tablets, etc.) turned off and stored out of reach, with narrow exceptions for IEP/504 accommodations, documented medical needs, or emergencies. It also bars school employees from directly messaging students via social media for official school business (allowing only approved, one‑way public announcements) and requires boards to report and publicly post data on the average school‑day screen time for K–4 students, including time on school‑issued devices.

Why It Matters to the Make America Healthy Again Movement

The MAHA Movement supports this bill because it tackles both personal devices and school‑assigned screens, aiming to cut total daily screen exposure for young children and create calmer, more focused, less digitally saturated school days. By combining a bell‑to‑bell student device restriction, limits on staff–student social‑media contact, and transparency on K–4 screen time, HB 2421 advances MAHA’s goal of turning schools into low‑screen environments that prioritize movement, real‑world learning, and mental health over constant connectivity.