Diminishing distractions in the classroom to get kids minds on school work and not coming away at their devices.

Is the goal of a school cell phone ban that lawmakers are debating while students might groan.

At first state lawmakers expect big results and learning our June Leffler has more.

Lawmakers explored a statewide cell phone ban during last year's in term session.

>> Positive testimony from school administrators and outside of Kentucky convince them to pursue this policy.

It's Common Santa.

It's hard enough to teach kids to day, particularly when they're distracted by a cell phone or technology, even if they're not on it.

I mean, as we speak here, you know, it's difficult because I'm aware that my phone is vibrating as we speak and so even though I'm not currently interacting with it, it is occupying space with in my mind House Bill 208, and struck school districts to adopt a policy that ban cell phone use during instruction time unless the teacher allows it.

>> It also mandates that schools use an Internet firewall to block social media on school devices just as schools are required to do with sexually explicit material.

There's this.

>> Next and I'll give the school district the ability to.

Confiscate the lack of better term.

The the instrument for a period of time that they're not supposed to be using it with notwithstanding the exceptions.

So what I can say is we have purposely drafted this in such a way that the district shall have a policy, but we don't tell them what the policy has to be well, it's a very important policy matter overall, but a lot of these.

Very nuanced issues need to be handled at the most local level because what may work at one particular elementary school, for instance, may not work in the Haas school.

>> Districts and individual schools can already banned cell phones setting.

The statewide rule is a good cop, bad cop approach.

Some lawmakers suggested teachers don't have to set their own rules at the state says it's the law.

A Republican senator wishes that force was apparent in House Bill 208, were giving the teachers again.

The authority 2 allow phones in their classroom at their discretion, which I feel like.

That's the problem that we have right now.

>> And we had a lot of teachers who want to have a firm answer on this in.

I wish we would have compromised on that.

Their attention or yes, I've been here long enough to understand that sometimes us about what you can get.

>> Now what you want.

>> Lawmakers from both parties say this will transform classrooms.

>> As I look at the bills that I voted on this year, I would say he's probably most him packed full and positive bill that will come out of the legislature.

>> To look at the testimony in the interim committee.

It was it was life changing for me and clarified exactly why we need this piece.

Legislation.

And once again, I thank Representative Rayner Representative Tipton for work and working h*** o* this.

>> House bill 208, did pass out of the Senate Education Committee unanimously for Kentucky edition.

I'm to LaFleur.

>> Thank you, June.

And at the time we prepared tonight's broadcast House bill to avoid was still waiting for a vote