School cellphone ban fails in South Dakota legislative committee

PIERRE – A bill to ban cellphone use by public school students during the day narrowly failed in a South Dakota House of Representatives committee Monday.

The Education Committee voted 8-7 to defeat Senate Bill 198. The bill passed the state Senate 19-15 on Feb. 17.

Cellphone use policies should be in the hands of local school boards, opponents argued.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Chris Karr, R-Sioux …