Indiana House panel advances school cellphone crackdown, revised youth social media bills

(INDIANA CAPITAL CHRONICLE) — A sweeping school cellphone crackdown and revamped language tightening controls on youth social media use cleared the House Education Committee Wednesday after weeks of debate on both measures.

In back-to-back votes, the committee unanimously advanced Senate Bill 78, which would require students’ phones and other wireless devices to be powered off and locked away for the full school day.

Then, there was a party-line vote to move Senate Bill 199, a wide-ranging education bill that — as of Wednesday — revives and restructures proposed restrictions on minors’ social media accounts, with a heavier emphasis on parental access and oversight.

Earlier versions of Senate Bill 199 included youth social media language that was later stripped out as lawmakers raised constitutional and enforcement c...