HB 57-COMMUNICATION DEVICES IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS  9:08:44 AM CO-CHAIR STORY announced that the final order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 57, "An Act relating to wireless telecommunications devices in public schools; and providing for an effective date." [Before the committee was CSHB 57(L&C).] 9:09:30 AM REPRESENTATIVE ZACK FIELDS, Alaska State Legislature, as prime sponsor, presented CSHB 57(L&C) to the committee. He explained that himself, Senator Wielechowski, and Governor Dunleavy all have drafted bills in the current legislative session that aim to curb the use of cell phones in public schools. He said that the House Labor and Commerce Standing Committee amended the proposed legislation to have its language be consistent with the DEED and emphasized the overwhelming evidence that cell phone access and use is harmful to schoolchildren in Alaska. 9:11:23 AM REPRESENTATIVE ELAM shared his understanding that the restrictions on electronic device use proposed under CSHB 57(L&C) would be limited to personal device use. REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS confirmed Representative Elam's understanding was correct. 9:12:37 AM KELLY LESSENS, Member, Anchorage School Board, gave invited testimony on CSHB 57(L&C). She detailed a proposed policy on cell phone use that the Anchorage School Board was considering and emphasized the negatives effects of cell phone use by young people and their impacts on children's learning. She suggested replacing the word "possessing" to "accessing" on page 2, line 1, and replacing "regular school hours, including lunch and passing periods" with "during instructional time" on page 2, line 2. She pointed to a series of studies and research that supported her proposed amendment language and said the proposed changes would make for a more clearly worded bill. 9:20:46 AM REPRESENTATIVE UNDERWOOD shared an anecdote about her own child's positive experiences in attending a school district that doesn't allow the use of cell phone during its instructional hours. 9:22:24 AM REPRESENTATIVE ELAM shared an anecdote about the benefits of children being away from their cell phones. 9:23:48 AM CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT asked if there is currently anything preventing school districts in Alaska from banning cell phones on their own accord. MS. LESSONS answered that there is nothing stopping school boards from banning cell phones and said that current policy within the Anchorage School District (ASD) is to allow phones as they are needed. 9:26:33 AM DAVID BOOTH, Principal, Palmer High School, gave invited testimony on CSHB 57(L&C). He said that his school implemented a total cell phone ban during the school hours and emphasized that the policy has "completely transformed our building". He highlighted research that found that students are distracted by their cell phones and said that there has been a 28 percent reduction in failing grades in his school since the implementation of the total cell phone ban. He said that alcohol and drug related offenses are down and emphasized his observation that students are happier when they are not engaged with phones and social media. 9:32:59 AM JB ATKINSON, School Therapist, Windler Middle School, gave invited testimony on CSHB 57(L&C). He highlighted a youth-risk behavior survey from 2023 that found a clear correlation between youths who were on their phone and those who weren't. He emphasized that the mere presence of a phone was enough to cause a negative outcome and explained that there was a "clear difference" between a child that has a phone in a classroom and one that doesn't. He explained that children often are in agreeance that the lack of a phone leads to a more focused and productive learning environment and pointed out that children must not be allowed to access their phones during passing periods due to their capacity to distract a child for at least 15 minutes beyond their time using the phone. 9:38:00 AM REPRESENTATIVE EISCHEID requested the college freshmen study that Mr. Atkinson cited during his remarks. 9:38:50 AM DEENA BISHOP, Commissioner, Department of Education, gave invited testimony on CSHB 57(L&C). She began her remarks by clarifying the general prohibition on cell phone use that currently exists within statewide public education policy in Alaska. She highlighted the numerous ways that cell phones pose as a distraction to schoolchildren in Alaska and emphasized that "social medial algorithms prioritize content that drives engagement, likes, shares, and comments". She pointed to the outsized impact of negative comments, cyberbullying, and body image that social media has on children and adults alike. She said that adolescents are spending an average of 7 hours and 22 minutes on their phones daily, much of which is on social media platforms and added that the "invasive use of phones is eroding" basic work and focus skills that these students will need to survive and thrive later in life. She explained that limiting cell phone use during the day could help schools establish healthier habits and reinforce the importance of abstaining from cell phone use in the name of mental and physical health. She said that unrestricted cell phone use during school hours "greatly" increases the risk of cyberbullying and online abuse and explained how pervasive and different online harassment from what is more traditionally understood to be harassment. She said that limiting cell phone use during school hours is "not merely a policy decision, but a necessary intervention to protect our student's mental health, attention, and wellbeing". 9:49:09 AM REPRESENTATIVE ELAM commented his appreciation for MS. Bishop's remarks about cell phone use and its effect on schoolchildren. 9:49:48 AM REPRESENTATIVE SCHWANKE asked if students would be able to take their cell phones off campus with them during lunch. REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS answered that the concept of the proposed legislation's enforcement policy would be "off and away" and said that each district would have their own way of doing that. He shared the books "the Anxious Generation" by Jonathan Haidt and "Stolen Focus" by Johann Hari. 9:52:35 AM CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT asked if there are other examples of how school districts around the world and country are dealing with the issue of cell phone use in schools. REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS opined that "other western nations just have much more responsible policy to govern social media for youth in general, so do other states" and said that HB 57 is the "bare minimum" policy directive for cell phone use in schools and said that companies are monetizing the attention of children in a way that is profoundly detrimental to the mental health of children. He explained that social media companies are "fully aware" that the way they drive attention and engagement directly leads to higher rates of suicide, especially among young girls and emphasized that these social media companies are consciously making the decision to drive engagement to make more money. 9:54:44 AM CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT shared her understanding that a child who uses their cell phone to control their hearing aids would be considered a medical exception under HB 57. REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS confirmed Co-Chair Himschoot's understanding was correct. 9:55:21 AM CO-CHAIR STORY announced that HB 57 would be held over.