AN ACT CONCERNING PHONE-FREE SCHOOLS.

House of Representatives
sHB5149 / File No. 407 1

General Assembly File No. 407
February Session, 2026 Substitute House Bill No. 5149

House of Representatives, April 7, 2026

The Committee on Education reported through REP. LEEPER
of the 132nd Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of
the House, that the substitute bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING PHONE-FREE SCHOOLS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 10 -233j of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 2
(a) No student in a public school in the state shall possess or use a 3
[remotely activated ] paging device unless such student obtains the 4
written permission of the school principal for such possession and use. 5
The principal shall grant such permission only if the student or [his] the 6
student's parent or guardian establishes to the satisfaction of the 7
principal that a reasonable basis exists for the possession and use of the 8
paging device. 9
[(b) A local or regional board of education may restrict the student 10
possession or use of cellular mobile telephones in the schools under its 11
jurisdiction. In determining whether to restrict such possession or use, 12
the local or regional board of education shall consider the special needs 13
of parents and students.] 14
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(b) (1) As used in this subsection: 15
(A) "Mobile electronic device" means any hand-held or other portable 16
electronic equipment capable of providing data communication 17
between two or more individuals, including, but not limited to, a 18
cellular mobile telephone, a text messaging device, a paging device, a 19
personal digital assistant, a laptop computer, equipment that is capable 20
of playing a video game or a digital video disk or equipment on which 21
digital images are taken or transmitted; and 22
(B) "Personal mobile electronic device" means a mobile electronic 23
device that is owned by or otherwise under the control of a student or 24
parent or guardian of a student and has not been issued to such student 25
or another student by the local or regional board of education. 26
(2) In accordance with the local policy adopted pursuant to 27
subdivision (3) of this subsection, no student enrolled in grades 28
kindergarten to twelve, inclusive, in a public school in the state shall 29
possess or use a personal mobile electronic device during the regular 30
school day, except a student shall be permitted to possess or use a 31
personal mobile electronic device if such possession or use is necessary 32
(A) to implement the provisions of an individualized education 33
program for such student or a plan pursuant to Section 504 of the 34
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended from time to time, for such 35
student, or (B) for the health and well -being of such student as 36
determined by a licensed physician, physician assistant or advanced 37
practice registered nurse. 38
(3) Each local and regional board of education shall develop and 39
adopt a local policy restricting the student possession or use of personal 40
mobile electronic devices during the regular school day. A board shall 41
consider the unique needs of teachers, administrators, parents and 42
guardians and students in the school district. Such local policy shall 43
include, but need not be limited to, (A) a prohibition on such possession 44
or use by students on school grounds during the regular school day, (B) 45
provisions regarding the storage of personal mobile electronic devices 46
during the regular school day, (C) a system of discipline for violating 47
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the provisions of such local policy, and (D) provisions permitting the 48
student possession or use of personal mobile electronic devices during 49
the regular school day (i) to implement the provisions of an 50
individualized education program for such student or a plan pursuant 51
to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended from time 52
to time, for such student, or (ii) if a licensed physician, physician 53
assistant or advanced practice registered nurse has determined that 54
such possession or use is necessary for the health and well-being of such 55
student. 56
Sec. 2. (NEW) ( Effective July 1, 2026 ) No local or regional board of 57
education may use social media as the exclusive means of directly 58
communicating with, or otherwise providing notice or information to, 59
students and the parents and guardians of students enrolled in a school 60
under the jurisdiction of the board. As used in this section, "social 61
media" has the same meaning as provided in section 10 -231c of the 62
general statutes. 63
Sec. 3. Subdivision (8) of section 10 -222aa of the general statutes is 64
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 65
2026): 66
(8) "Mobile electronic device" [means any hand-held or other portable 67
electronic equipment capable of providing data communication 68
between two or more individuals, including, but not limited to, a text 69
messaging device, a paging device, a personal digital assistant, a laptop 70
computer, equipment that is capable of playing a video game or a digital 71
video disk or equipment on which digital images are taken or 72
transmitted] has the same meaning as provided in section 10 -233j, as 73
amended by this act. 74
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 July 1, 2026 10-233j
Sec. 2 July 1, 2026 New section
Sec. 3 July 1, 2026 10-222aa(8)
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Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
In Section 1(a), opening and closing brackets were inserted around
"remotely activated" and " paging" was added before "device", for
consistency.

ED Joint Favorable Subst.

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The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of
the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not
represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose. In general,
fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional
knowledge. Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final
products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note

State Impact: None
Municipal Impact: None
Explanation
The bill has no fiscal impact. It: (1) requires local and regional boards
of education (BOEs) to develop and adopt a policy prohibiting student
cell phone use during the regular school day except in certain
circumstances; and (2) prohibits BOEs from using social media as the
exclusive means to directly communicate with parents and guardians.
It is anticipated that BOEs can meet the requirements of the bill with
existing resources.
The Out Years
State Impact: None
Municipal Impact: None

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OLR Bill Analysis
sHB 5149

AN ACT CONCERNING PHONE-FREE SCHOOLS.

This bill bans public school students in grades kindergarten through
12 from possessing or using personal mobile electronic device s
(“personal devices”) during the regular school day, with certain
exceptions. It defines a mobile electronic device as any handheld or
portable electronic equipment that can provide data communication
between two or more people, including cell phones, text messaging
devices, laptops, gaming equipment, and equipment for taking digital
images.
Under the bill, the ban applies only to devices owned or controlled
by students (or their parents or guardians), not those school boards issue
to students. The bill also permits personal device use if it is necessary
(1) to implement an individualized education program (IEP) or a 504
plan for students with disabilities or (2) for the student’s health and
well-being, as determined by a physician, physician a ssistant, or
advanced practice registered nurse.
The bill requires school boards to adopt a local policy to implement
the bill’s requirements. The policy must cover (1) the bill’s personal
device ban and exceptions , (2) device storage, and (3) discipline for
violations. When developing a plan, the board must consider the unique
needs of teachers, administrators, parents, guardians, and students.
The bill also bans school boards from using social media as the only
way they communicate with students and their parents or guardians.
Social media refers to any electronic medium where users create and
view user-generated content ( such as videos, photos, blogs, or instant
messages).
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Lastly, it makes technical and conforming changes, including
eliminating a provision in existing law allowing school boards to restrict
cell phone use in their schools.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2026
BACKGROUND
HB 5035, favorably reported by the Education Committee, similarly
bans students from using wireless communication devices during the
school day.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Education Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 30 Nay 16 (03/16/2026)