This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2008, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The House on Monday voted 37-33 against HB295, which would have required school districts to create policies governing the use of electronic devices at schools.
Many schools already have policies in place, but the bill would have required district policies to address specifics, such as using cell phones for audio and video recordings, using them at school-sponsored events and on school buses.
The bill's sponsor Rep. Sheryl Allen, R-Bountiful, said 25 percent of the state's schools don't have policies now.
"[Cell phones] can be used to cheat," Allen said. "We've had inappropriate photos transmitted. The problem is pervasive."
Rep. Kory Holdaway, R-Taylorsville, however, said he thinks electronic devices could be better used in education and wouldn't necessarily like to see policies that simply prohibit them.
- Lisa Schencker and Cathy McKitrick
