The Iowa House advanced a bill today to stop some cellphone use in schools across the state. House File 782 would ban the use of electronic devices during instructional time, at a minimum.Under the bill, school boards would need to adopt policies to let parents how they can communicate with their children during school hours and in case of an emergency.The bill would also allow parents to petition the school district if they feel their child needs to keep their device for a legitimate reason, including physical or mental health. Students with Individualized Education Programs could keep their devices if they need them for their IEP plan. The Iowa Department of Education would provide sample policies for restricting devices, but school boards could also approve more restrictive policies if they want.Governor Kim Reynolds thanked the Iowa House for passing the legislation in a statement Tuesday.“With digital distractions at an all-time high, we must ensure Iowa classrooms maintain environments where focus, learning, and productivity can truly thrive," Reynolds said. “Our students deserve the opportunity to learn free from the distraction of personal electronic devices."The bill now heads to the Iowa Senate.Several Iowa school districts have already implemented or announced plans to implement a cellphone-free policy in classrooms.» Subscribe to 糖心vlog's YouTube page» Download the free 糖心vlog app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play