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B26-0073 • 2025

Heads Up! Distraction-Free Learning Amendment Act of 2025 (now known as "Disconnect Act of 2025")

Heads Up! Distraction-Free Learning Amendment Act of 2025 (now known as "Disconnect Act of 2025")

Education Healthcare Parental Rights
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Pinto
Last action
2025-09-19
Official status
Official Law
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide information about specific consequences for violating the policy, leaving it open to interpretation by each LEA.

Disconnect Act of 2025

The Disconnect Act of 2025 requires local education agencies to create policies that ban students from using personal wireless communication devices during the full school day, with some exceptions for health needs.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires local education agencies (LEAs) to adopt and implement a policy by September 10, 2026, prohibiting K-12 students from possessing personal wireless communication devices on school premises during the full school day.
  • Allows LEAs to create exemptions for educational purposes or health-related needs documented by medical professionals.
  • Requires each LEA's policy to establish consequences for violating the policy and a process to assess and refine it over time.
  • Mandates that all policies be published on the LEA’s website, communicated to families before school starts, and shared with staff who interact with students.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Local education agencies (LEAs) in Washington D.C., including public schools and charter schools.
  • Students enrolled in grades K-12 within these LEAs.
  • Parents or guardians of students affected by the policy.

Terms To Know

Full school day
The period from when a student arrives at school until they leave, as defined by existing law.
Personal wireless communication device
A cellphone, tablet computer, laptop computer, or gaming device that is not owned or provided by the school.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The act does not specify what happens if a student uses their personal wireless communication device during an emergency.
  • It remains unclear how LEAs will enforce and monitor compliance with this policy across all schools.

Bill History

  1. 2025-09-19 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Law L26-0039, Effective from Sep 10, 2025 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 010163

  2. 2025-07-29 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Congress

  3. 2025-07-25 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Act A26-0113 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 008159

  4. 2025-07-22 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Returned from Mayor

  5. 2025-07-21 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Signed by the Mayor and Enacted with Act Number A26-0113

  6. 2025-07-10 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Jul 24, 2025

  7. 2025-07-01 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  8. 2025-06-03 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  9. 2025-06-03 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Notice of Mark-up filed in the Office of Secretary

  10. 2025-06-02 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Committee Report Filed by the Committee of the Whole

  11. 2025-05-13 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Committee Mark-up of B26-0073 by the Committee of the Whole

  12. 2025-03-25 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Public Hearing on B26-0073 View Public Hearing Record

  13. 2025-02-28 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Notice of Public Hearing Published in the District of Columbia Register

  14. 2025-02-24 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Notice of Public Hearing filed in the Office of Secretary

  15. 2025-02-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Notice of Intent to Act on B26-0073 Published in the District of Columbia Register

  16. 2025-02-04 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Referred to Committee of the Whole

  17. 2025-01-27 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0073 Introduced by Councilmember Pinto at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Heads Up! Distraction-Free Learning Amendment Act of 2025 (now known as "Disconnect Act of 2025")

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
ANACT
D.C. ACT 26-113
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
SULY 21, 2025
‘Todirectlocaleducationagenciestoadoptandimplementapersonalwirelesscommunication
devicepolicythatprohibitsastudentfromusingapersonalwirelesscommunication,
deviceduringthefullschoolday.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, Thatthis
actmay be citedasthe“DisconnectAct of 2025”.
Sec.2.Definitions.
Forthepurposesofthisact,theterm:
(1)“Fullschoolday”shallhavethesamemeaningasprovidedinsection1(2B)of
anActToprovideforcompulsoryschoolattendance,forthetakingofa schoolcensusinthe
DistrictofColumbia,andforotherpurposes,approvedFebruary4,1925(43Stat.806;D.C.
Code§38-201(2B)).(2)“Healthcareneeds”meansspecificmedicalrequirementsordisability-or
health-relatedsupportsthataredocumentedbyalicensedmedicalproviderwiththeLEAand
thatrequiretheuseofapersonalwirelesscommunicationdeviceformonitoringamedical
condition,administeringmedication,receivinghealth-relatedalerts,receivingdisability-related
supports,orcommunicatingwithmedicalpersonnelorcaregiversregardingthestudent'shealth
duringtheschoolday.(3)“LEA”meanslocaleducationagency,whichistheDistrictofColumbia
PublicSchoolssystemoranyindividualpubliccharterschoolorgroupofpubliccharterschools
operatingundera singlecharter.(4)“Personalwirelesscommunicationdevice”meansacellularphone,tablet
computer,laptopcomputer,orgamingdevicethatisnotownedorprovidedbytheschool.(5)“Possessing”meanscarryingorholdinganitemonone’spersonbutdoesnot
includecarryingorholdinganiteminabackpack,purse,handbag,orotherpersonalcarryall.

Sec.3.LEArequirementsforapersonalwirelesscommunicationdevicepolicy.
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
(a)Nolaterthan15daysbeforethestartofthe2026-2027SchoolYear,eachLEAservingstudentsenrolledingradesK-12shalladoptandimplementapersonalwirelesscommunicationdevicepolicythatprohibitsK-12studentsfrom,ataminimum,possessingapersonalwirelesscommunicationdeviceonschoolpremisesatanytimeduringthefullschoolday.(b)AnLEA'spersonalwirelesscommunicationdevicepolicymayincludeexemptionsforastudentpossessingapersonalwirelesscommunicationdeviceforspecificeducationalpurposesandtomanageastudent'shealthcareneeds.
(©)EachLEA'spersonalwirelesscommunicationdevicepolicyshall:(1)Establishconsequencesifastudentviolatesthepolicy;provided,thatthe
consequencesshallbeconsistentwithsection204oftheAttendanceAccountabilityAmendmentActof2013,effectiveAugust25,2018(D.C.Law22-157;DC OfficialCode§38-236.04);(2)EstablishaprocessandtimelinefortheLEAtoassesswhetherthepolicyisworkingandhowtorefineit;(3)BepublishedontheLEA’swebsitenolaterthan15daysbeforethestartofeachschoolyearforwhichthepolicyisineffect,andthatmid-yearmodificationsshallbe
publishednolaterthan15daysbeforebeingeffective:(4)Becommunicatedtoallenrolledfamiliesbeforethefirstdayofschool;and(5)BecommunicatedtoallLEAemployees,contractors,andvolunteerswhohavecontactwithstudentsduringschoolhours.(d)EachLEA’spersonalwirelesscommunicationdevicepolicyshallrequireeachschoolintheLEAto:(1)Identifyhowaparentorguardianofan enrolledstudentshouldcommunicate
urgentinformationtotheirchildduringthefullschoolday;(2)Identifyhowtheschoolwillcommunicatewithfamiliesincasesof
emergency;and(3)Identifyappropriatestorageforstudents’personalwirelesscommunicationdevicesduringthefullschoolday.
Sec.4.Stateeducationagencyresponsibilities.By March 1,2026, the Office ofthe StateSuperintendentof Education shalldevelop and
sharewith LEAs a model policythatmeets the requirements prescribedinsection3,
Sec.5.Fiscalimpactstatement.TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementinthecommitteereportasthefiscalimpactstatementrequiredbysection4aofthe GeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,
approvedOctober16,2006(120Stat.2038;D.C,OfficialCode§1-301.47a).
ENROLLED ORIGINAL.
Sec.6.Effectivedate.ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto)anda30-dayperiodofcongressionalreviewasprovidedinsection602(c)(1)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember24,1973(87Stat.813;D.C.OfficialCode§1-206.02(¢)(1))..
airman’
Councilofthe DistrictofColumbia

Distric!iGolumbia
JULY 21, 2025

[]ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
[XJACTION
COUNCILOF THEDISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004

FirstReading
[X]VOTE DATE June3, 2025
(X]VOICEvoTE ‘Approved
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ABSENT
[ ]ROLL CALL VOTE -Result
[CouncilMember[Aye[Nay|Nv[AB[Rec[CounciMember[Aye|Nay|NV[AB[Rec|CounciMember[Aye|Nay|NV[AB[Rec
ChairmanMendelson)X Henderson|X Pinto x
Alen x LewisGeorge| x White
Bonds x Mebutte x
Felder x Nadeau x
Frumin x Patker x
X- IndicateVote AB -Absent NV -Present,NotVoting Rec -Recused
CERTIFICATIONRECORD 75
SecretarytotheCounci Date
DocketNo, B26-0073
[IITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
[XIACTION FinalReading
[X]VOTE DATE July1,2025
[X]VOICE VOTE Approved
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST Parker
ABSENT
{]ROLLCALLVOTE-Result
CouncilMember[Aye[Nay[Nv[AB[RecCouncMember[Aye[Nay|NV[AB[Rec|CounciMember[Aye[Nay|NV[AB[Rec
ChairmanMendelson]X Henderson__|x Pinto x
Alen x LewisGeorge_| x R.White
Bonds x McDuffiex
Felder x Nadeau x
Frumin x Parker x
X-IndicateVote ‘AB~Absent NV--Present,NotVoting Roc-Recused
CERTIFICATIONRECORD
‘SecretarytotheCouncil