ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — New education bills introduced at the Georgia Capitol could soon change how children learn and how safe parents feel sending them to school.

The proposals target school safety concerns ranging from cellphone use and vaping to firearms education.

Lawmakers backing the measures say action is urgent.

After banning phones for younger students last year, state Rep. Scott Hilton is now pushing to expand the policy into Georgia high schools. He argues cellphones are more than just a distraction.

“We’re hearing it’s just a distraction to learning. Not only learning, but mental health and public safety,” Hilton said.

“If you want to pay attention to class, yeah, you shouldn’t have your phone,” said Gavin Beltran, a ninth grader.

Beltran agrees with the proposal, saying she supports limiting cellphone use during class time, but said students should be able to access their phones during lunch.

Another proposal drawing attention would require firearms safety education in Georgia classrooms, starting as early as kindergarten. The lessons would focus on what children should do if they encounter a gun.

At a neighborhood park, Samantha Halliburton watched her daughter, Amni, play on a seesaw.

“Overall, yes,” Halliburton said of the proposal. “If parents could opt out, that would be amazing.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control, firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teens ages 1 to 17 in Georgia.

The bill’s sponsor, state Sen. Rick Williams, said his support for the measure is shaped by decades of experience in the funeral home business. Williams said one of the hardest parts of his job has been meeting families who have lost a child in an accidental shooting.

“If you see a gun, you do not touch it. You go get an adult,” Williams said.

Lawmakers are also considering a bill that would require vape detectors in all Georgia high schools. The devices detect aerosol particles linked to nicotine or THC and send real-time alerts to school staff.

A University of Georgia survey found nearly one in five Georgia high school students has used a vaping product.

“The kids are vaping in school,” said state Rep. Imani Barnes, the bill’s sponsor. “They’re going to the bathrooms. It’s becoming an epidemic.”

Barnes said funding for the detectors could come from state grants or the budget, though a fiscal note has not yet been completed.

Mom Carmen Beltran said she supports the idea.

“I think that detectors are a great idea,” she said.

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