Resolve, Establishing a Pilot Program to Reduce Personal Electronic
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 0170
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: MATHIESON, BRENNER

Legislative Document
No. 170
H.P. 103
House of Representatives, January 14, 2025
Resolve, Establishing a Pilot Program to Reduce Personal Electronic 
Device Distractions During the School Day
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative MATHIESON of Kittery.
Cosponsored by Senator BRENNER of Cumberland and
Representatives: KUHN of Falmouth, SARGENT of York.
Sec. 1. Pilot program; application process.  Resolved:  That the Department of 
Education, referred to in this resolve as "the department," shall establish a pilot program to 
reduce student use of personal electronic devices during the school day by awarding one-
time funding to one or more school administrative units for the cost of implementing during 
the 2026-2027 school year a policy that requires all student personal electronic devices to 
be turned off, securely locked away and inaccessible to students for the duration of the 
school day.  The total funding for the pilot program may not exceed $250,000.  The 
department shall develop an application process and provide minimum standards for a 
personal electronic device policy, a description of eligible uses of pilot program funding, a 
list of preapproved, evidence-based technology solutions that includes but is not limited to 
cellular telephone pouches, a description of data that a school administrative unit must 
report to the department, resources for stakeholder outreach, criteria for prioritizing the 
awarding of funding and a method for determining the amount of funding a school 
administrative unit may receive.  The department shall begin accepting applications by 
November 1, 2025 and notify applicants of a decision by April 1, 2026.
Sec. 2.  Personal electronic device policy exemptions.  Resolved:  That a 
personal electronic device policy developed pursuant to section 1 must include a provision 
that exempts a student from the personal electronic device policy if a licensed physician 
determines that the use of a personal electronic device is necessary for the health or well-
being of the student or if an individualized education plan requires the possession or use of 
a personal electronic device by the student.
Sec. 3. Maine Education Policy Research Institute; support and evaluation.  
Resolved:  That the Maine Education Policy Research Institute shall support the 
department in developing an application form for the pilot program under section 1 and 
provide the department by October 1, 2025 a list of possible evidence-based technology 
solutions and a pilot program evaluation plan that a school administrative unit participating 
in the pilot program shall use to collect and report data.  The pilot program evaluation plan 
must include, but is not limited to, changes in school climate or student mental health, 
behavioral incidences, overall academic performance and teacher, student, administrator 
and other stakeholder perceptions on the effect of the personal electronic device policy 
developed pursuant to section 1.
Sec. 4. Reports.  Resolved:  That the Maine Education Policy Research Institute 
shall, within existing resources, evaluate the pilot program results based on the data 
collected pursuant to section 3 and issue a preliminary report no later than November 4, 
2026 and a final report no later than December 1, 2027 to the joint standing committee of 
the Legislature having jurisdiction over education matters.  The joint standing committee 
may report out a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 133rd Legislature.
SUMMARY
This resolve requires the Department of Education to establish a pilot program to 
reduce student use of personal electronic devices during the school day by awarding one-
time funding to one or more school administrative units for the cost of implementing a 
policy during the 2026-2027 school year that requires all student personal electronic 
devices to be turned off, securely locked away and inaccessible to students during the 
school day.  The total amount of funding for the pilot program may not exceed $250,000.  
The resolve also directs the Maine Education Policy Research Institute to support the 
department in developing an application form and provide the department with a list of 
possible evidence-based technology solutions and a pilot program evaluation plan.  The 
resolve directs the Maine Education Policy Research Institute to submit a preliminary 
report by November 4, 2026 and a final report by December 1, 2027 to the joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education matters.