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K-12 school cellphone usage, administrative state ballot measures

Photograph of school age kids using cellphones

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Here are the top stories from the week of August 12 - August 16.

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Eight states have implemented statewide policies on K-12 school cellphone usage

Since 2023, eight states have adopted policies that limit or ban cellphones in classrooms or schools, or encourage districts to move in that direction. Six of these states are Republican trifectas, one is a Democratic trifecta, and one has a divided government.

Florida was the first state to enact a law banning student cellphone use during class time. Governor Ron DeSantis (R) signed House Bill 379 on May 9, 2023.

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Vermont holds primary elections

Vermont held primaries for congressional, state executive, and state legislative offices on Aug. 13. Democrats currently represent Vermont's one at-large U.S. House district and the U.S. Senate seat up for election. Democrats have supermajorities in both the state Senate (21-7) and the state House (107-37). View election results at the link below.

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The administrative state and two defeated ballot measures in Wisconsin

On August 13, Wisconsin voters defeated two ballot measures related to the administrative state:

Wisconsin Question 1, Prohibit Legislature from Delegating Appropriations Power Amendment
- Voters defeated a constitutional amendment that would have prohibited the legislature from delegating its power to appropriate money 57.45%-42.55%.
Wisconsin Question 2, Require Legislative Approval for State Expenditure of Federal Funds Amendment
Voters defeated a constitutional amendment that would have required legislative approval via a joint resolution before the governor could expend federal money appropriated to the state 57.53%-42.47%.

The Wisconsin measures would have changed the state's approach to the nondelegation doctrine, which is a principle of constitutional and administrative law that holds that legislative bodies cannot delegate their powers to executive agencies or private entities.

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