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HR1275FEDERALin_committee
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Focus on Learning Act (H.R. 1275)

Original title: Focus on Learning Act

February 12, 2025

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Where This Stands

Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Signed

Currently in_committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Last action
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.Feb 12, 2025

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Finance Connection

Notable money activity
$39,996across 20 reported contributions
Trace money trail →
CandidateDonorAmountIndustryDate
Concerned National City Residents Against Ron Morrison for Mayor 2022International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 569 Candidate PAC$10,000-Nov 2022
Concerned National City Residents Against Ron Morrison for Mayor 2022International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 569 Candidate PAC$10,000-Sep 2022
Friends of Ron Morrison for Mayor 2022San Diego Working Waterfront PAC$2,000-Oct 2022
Concerned National City Residents Against Ron Morrison for Mayor 2022Arden Buck$2,000retiredNov 2022
Robert CrownLaird A. Lile, PLLC$1,000Law FirmFeb 2026
Robert CrownVernon Litigation Group$1,000Law FirmFeb 2026
Robert CrownBonaquist / Allen$1,000Law FirmFeb 2026
Concerned National City Residents Against Ron Morrison for Mayor 2022Ricardo Ochoa$1,000AttorneyOct 2022
Friends of Ron Morrison for Mayor 2022Highland View Center$1,000-Oct 2022
Robert CrownConroy, Conroy & Durant, P.A$1,000Law FirmFeb 2026
Concerned National City Residents Against Ron Morrison for Mayor 2022San Diego County Democratic Party$1,000-Dec 2022
Friends of Ron Morrison for Mayor 2022Richhard Shigley$1,000RetiredAug 2022
Robert CrownLaw Offices of Robert H. Hanaford, LLC$1,000Law FirmFeb 2026
Friends of Ron Morrison for Mayor 2022Roberto's Jewelry INC$1,000-Oct 2022
Concerned National City Residents Against Ron Morrison for Mayor 2022Paloma Aguirre for I.B. Mayor 2022$1,000-Nov 2022
Robert CrownThe Caldarone Law Group, P.A$1,000Law FirmFeb 2026
Friends of Ron Morrison for Mayor 2022Frank Plant III$999ManagerSep 2022
Friends of Ron Morrison for Mayor 2022Benjamin O. Camacho, MD, FACP, A Medical Corp$999-Aug 2022
Friends of Ron Morrison for Mayor 2022Ed Plant$999RetiredSep 2022
Friends of Ron Morrison for Mayor 2022Beauchamp & Lococo$999-Sep 2022

Reported financial relationships and timing signals. This does not prove motive or influence. Readers draw their own conclusions.

The Frame

What this does

If passed, this bill would authorize $5 million in federal grants through 2029 to help local school districts implement policies that restrict student access to personal mobile devices during the school day.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Local educational agencies

They may apply for federal grants and would be responsible for implementing secure storage policies and parent notification requirements.

Students

Students in participating schools would be required to store their personal mobile devices in secure containers during school hours.

Parents

Parents must be notified and consulted by their local school district before the district applies for the grant.

What changed

Current stage: in_committee.

What's next

Floor Vote.

Summary

This bill proposes a federal study on the impact of mobile devices in schools and creates a grant program to help schools purchase secure storage for student devices. Participating schools would be required to keep student mobile devices in secure containers during school hours, with specific exemptions for health, disability, and translation needs.

Key Facts

  • Authorizes $5 million in federal funding for a pilot program from fiscal years 2025 through 2029.
  • Requires the Surgeon General to complete a study on the impact of mobile devices in schools within 2 years of enactment.
  • Defines a 'school environment free of mobile devices' as one where student devices are kept in secure containers controlled by administrators.
  • Limits administrative and data collection expenses for the program to 2% of available funds.
  • Requires participating schools to maintain communication systems for staff and emergency responders.
  • Mandates that local educational agencies notify and solicit feedback from parents at least 30 days before applying for a grant.
  • Provides mandatory exemptions for mobile device use for health monitoring, students with disabilities, and English learners needing translation.
  • Excludes school-issued devices from the definition of 'mobile device' subject to the restriction.
  • Requires the Surgeon General to report study findings to Congress and make the report public.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this bill ban all electronics in schools?
No. It specifically targets personal mobile telephones and portable communication devices. School-issued devices are explicitly excluded from the definition of 'mobile device' in the bill.
Can my child still use their phone for medical reasons?
Yes. The bill includes specific exemptions for students who need mobile devices to monitor or treat health conditions.
How will schools get the money for this?
The bill authorizes $5 million in federal grants to be awarded by the Secretary of Education to local educational agencies that apply and meet the program requirements.

Why It Matters

If passed, this bill would authorize $5 million in federal grants through 2029 to help local school districts implement policies that restrict student access to personal mobile devices during the school day.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Sponsors

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Federal involvement in school device policy

The bill marks a shift toward federal-level intervention in local school mobile device policies through the use of targeted grant incentives.

Connected Entities

organizationSurgeon GeneralResponsible for conducting the studyMap →
personStauberCo-sponsorMap →
personWestermanLead sponsor of the billMap →
personCrowCo-sponsorMap →
personMorrisonCo-sponsorMap →
organizationDepartment of EducationResponsible for administering the grant programMap →

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance60
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy40
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz30
    Current news / social attention level

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