Kansas Bill: SB 281
House Substitute for Substitute for SB 281 by Committee on Education - Requiring school districts to prohibit the use of personal electronic communication devices during school hours, prohibiting any employee of a school district from using social media to directly communicate with any student for official school purposes.
Topics
Bill Information
Summary
Bill Summary
House Substitute for Substitute SB 281 requires every Kansas public school district to adopt a “school hours” policy that prohibits students from using or accessing personal electronic communication devices (including phones and smartwatches) during the school day, with devices turned off and stored away, and authorizes—but does not require—accredited nonpublic schools to do the same. It also allows districts to prohibit employees from privately or directly communicating with students via social media, text, or phone for official school purposes, except under narrow, policy‑defined exceptions.
Why It Matters to the Make America Healthy Again Movement
The MAHA Movement supports this bill because it creates bell‑to‑bell, low‑screen public school days by removing phones and similar devices from students’ hands, which is central to MAHA’s focus on reducing digital distraction and social‑media‑driven stress. By also tightening rules on staff–student social‑media contact, SB 281 helps make school a safer, healthier environment centered on in‑person relationships and learning rather than constant online connectivity.
Introduced
03/24/2025
In Committee
02/18/2026
Passed
02/17/2026
Sponsors
Committee on Ways and Means
Primary Primary
Committee on Education
Cosponsor