SCH CD-WIRELESS COMM DEVICE

Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of SB3960

Select Language

×

The Illinois General Assembly offers the Google Translate™ service for visitor convenience. In no way should it be considered accurate as to the translation of any content herein.

Visitors of the Illinois General Assembly website are encouraged to use other translation services available on the internet.

The English language version is always the official and authoritative version of this website.

NOTE: To return to the original English language version, select the "Show Original" button on the Google Translate™ menu bar at the top of the window.

Choose Language

English

Afrikaans

Albanian

Arabic

Armenian

Azerbaijani

Basque

Bengali

Bosnian

Catalan

Croatian

Czech

Danish

Dutch

Esperanto

Estonian

Filipino

Finnish

French

Galician

Georgian

German

Greek

Gujarati

Haitian Creole

Hausa

Hawaiian

Hebrew

Hindi

Hungarian

Icelandic

Indonesian

Interlingua

Interlingue

Inuktitut

Irish

Italian

Japanese

Javanese

Kannada

Khmer

Korean

Latin

Latvian

Lithuanian

Luxembourgish

Macedonian

Malagasy

Malayalam

Maltese

Maori

Marathi

Myanmar

Nepali

Norwegian

Odia

Pashto

Punjabi

Romanian

Russian

Samoan

Sango

Sanskrit

Sardinian

Sindhi

Sinhala

Slovak

Slovenian

Somali

Southern Sotho

Spanish

Sundanese

Swahili

Swedish

Tamil

Telugu

Thai

Tigrinya

Tonga

Turkish

Ukrainian

Urdu

Vietnamese

Welsh

Xhosa

Yiddish

Yoruba

Zulu

Powered by
Translate

Close

Illinois General Assembly

Top Navigation Bar

Translate

Learn

Select General Assembly

Search the 104th General Assembly

Enter search terms for legislation, members, committees, or schedules.

ILGA.GOV

LEGISLATION & LAWS

Bills & Resolutions

Public Acts

Illinois Compiled Statutes

Illinois Constitution

Search Legislation

Glossary

Guide

Reports & Inquiry

Legislative Reports

Special Reports

FTP Site

Legislator Lookup

Capitol Complex Phone Numbers

Rules & Regulations

Illinois Register

Administrative Rules

Senate

Members

Schedules

Committees

Request for Remote Testimony

Journals

Transcripts

Rules

Audio/Video

FOIA Information

Senate Employment Opportunities

Media Guidelines

House

Members

Schedules

Committees

Submit testimony for House Committees

Journals

Transcripts

Rules

Audio/Video

FOIA Information

House Employment Opportunities

Log In

Mobile Top Bar

Search the 104th General Assembly

Enter keywords to search the Illinois General Assembly website.

Full Text of SB3960

Home

Legislation

Full Text

SB3960 - 104th General Assembly

Bill Status

Full Text

Votes

Witness Slips

Select Menu

Bill Status

Full Text

Votes

Witness Slips

Printer Friendly Version

Introduced

Printer Friendly Version

Introduced

Open PDF

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB3960

Introduced 2/6/2026, by Sen. Erica Harriss

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/10-20.88 new
105 ILCS 5/34-18.88 new

Amends the School Code. Requires, on or before the 2027-2028 school
year, each school board to adopt and implement a wireless communication
device policy that limits the use of wireless communication devices by
students during instructional time to the greatest extent possible.
Provides that the wireless communication device policy shall be developed
in consultation with the parent-teacher advisory committee. Establishes
exceptions for wireless communication device use during instructional
time. Requires each school board to review its wireless communication
device policy in consultation with the parent-teacher advisory committee
at least once every 3 years and make any necessary and appropriate
revisions to the policy. Provides that a school district shall publicly
post the policy on its website. Provides that, if the school district does
not operate a website, then the school district shall provide a copy of the
policy to the parents or guardians of every student enrolled in the school
district. Effective immediately.
LRB104 20159 LNS 33610 b

A BILL FOR

SB3960
LRB104 20159 LNS 33610 b
1

AN ACT concerning education.

2

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3
represented in the General Assembly:

4

Section 5.
The School Code is amended by adding Sections
5
10-20.88 and 34-18.88 as follows:

6

(105 ILCS 5/10-20.88 new)
7

Sec. 10-20.88.
Wireless communication device policy.
8

(a) As used in this Section:
9

"Instructional time" means the time during a school day
10
students spend learning and participating in school
11
activities. "Instructional time" does not include recess,
12
passing time, or lunch time.
13

"Parent-teacher advisory committee" means a committee made
14
up of equal parts teachers employed by the school district and
15
parents of students enrolled in the school district.
16

"Wireless communication device" means any portable
17
wireless device that has the capability to provide voice,
18
messaging, or other data communication between 2 or more
19
parties, including, but not limited to:
20

(1) cellular telephones;
21

(2) tablet computers;
22

(3) laptop computers;
23

(4) gaming devices; and

SB3960
- 2 -
LRB104 20159 LNS 33610 b
1

(5) wearable devices, including smart watches or smart
2

glasses.
3

"Wireless communication device" does not include any
4
device that a school district or teacher has directly issued
5
to, provided for, or required a student to possess and use for
6
educational purposes during instructional time.
7

(b) On or before the 2027-2028 school year, each school
8
board shall adopt and implement a wireless communication
9
device policy. The wireless communication device policy shall
10
limit the use of wireless communication devices by students
11
during instructional time to the greatest extent possible. The
12
wireless communication device policy shall be developed in
13
consultation with the parent-teacher advisory committee.
14
Meetings between the school board and the parent-teacher
15
advisory committee for the purpose of creating a wireless
16
communication device policy shall be open to the public.
17

(c) Wireless communication device policies created as a
18
result of this Section shall not:
19

(1) inhibit a student from using a wireless
20

communication device that is important to a student's
21

health or well-being and is prescribed for use by a
22

licensed physician;
23

(2) inhibit a student from using a wireless
24

communication device that is required under an
25

individualized education program or a plan developed under
26

Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973;

SB3960
- 3 -
LRB104 20159 LNS 33610 b
1

(3) inhibit a student from using a wireless
2

communication device during an emergency situation; or
3

(4) inhibit a student from using a wireless
4

communication device that is authorized by the school
5

district to be used during instructional time.
6

(d) Each school board shall review its wireless
7
communication device policy in consultation with the
8
parent-teacher advisory committee at least once every 3 years
9
and make any necessary and appropriate revisions to the
10
policy.
11

(e) A school district shall publicly post the policy on
12
its website. If the school district does not operate a
13
website, then the school district shall provide a copy of the
14
policy to the parents or guardians of every student enrolled
15
in the school district.

16

(105 ILCS 5/34-18.88 new)
17

Sec. 34-18.88.
Wireless communication device policy.
18

(a) As used in this Section:
19

"Instructional time" means the time during a school day
20
students spend learning and participating in school
21
activities. "Instructional time" does not include recess,
22
passing time, or lunch time.
23

"Parent-teacher advisory committee" means a committee made
24
up of equal parts teachers employed by the school district and
25
parents of students enrolled in the school district.

SB3960
- 4 -
LRB104 20159 LNS 33610 b
1

"Wireless communication device" means any portable
2
wireless device that has the capability to provide voice,
3
messaging, or other data communication between 2 or more
4
parties, including, but not limited to:
5

(1) cellular telephones;
6

(2) tablet computers;
7

(3) laptop computers;
8

(4) gaming devices; and
9

(5) wearable devices, including smart watches or smart
10

glasses.
11

"Wireless communication device" does not include any
12
device that the school district or teacher has directly issued
13
to, provided for, or required a student to possess and use for
14
educational purposes during instructional time.
15

(b) On or before the 2027-2028 school year, the board
16
shall adopt and implement a wireless communication device
17
policy. The wireless communication device policy shall limit
18
the use of wireless communication devices by students during
19
instructional time to the greatest extent possible. The
20
wireless communication device policy shall be developed in
21
consultation with the parent-teacher advisory committee.
22
Meetings between the board and the parent-teacher advisory
23
committee for the purpose of creating a wireless communication
24
device policy shall be open to the public.
25

(c) Wireless communication device policies created as a
26
result of this Section shall not:

SB3960
- 5 -
LRB104 20159 LNS 33610 b
1

(1) inhibit a student from using a wireless
2

communication device that is important to a student's
3

health or well-being and is prescribed for use by a
4

licensed physician;
5

(2) inhibit a student from using a wireless
6

communication device that is required under an
7

individualized education program or a plan developed under
8

Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973;
9

(3) inhibit a student from using a wireless
10

communication device during an emergency situation; or
11

(4) inhibit a student from using a wireless
12

communication device that is authorized by the school
13

district to be used during instructional time.
14

(d) The board shall review its wireless communication
15
device policy in consultation with the parent-teacher advisory
16
committee at least once every 3 years and make any necessary
17
and appropriate revisions to the policy.
18

(e) The school district shall publicly post the policy on
19
its website. If the school district does not operate a
20
website, then the school district shall provide a copy of the
21
policy to the parents or guardians of every student enrolled
22
in the school district.

23

Section 99.
Effective date.
This Act takes effect upon
24
becoming law.

Footer

Disclaimer

This site is maintained for the Illinois General Assembly by the
Legislative Information System, 705 Stratton Building, Springfield, Illinois 62706.

Contact ILGA Webmaster

ILGA.gov uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By continuing to browse ILGA.gov you consent to our use of cookies.
Read About Cookies

ILGA.GOV

2026 ILGA.gov | All Rights Reserved |
ADA

|
Disclaimers
|
Learn

This site is maintained for the Illinois General Assembly by the
Legislative Information System, 705 Stratton Building, Springfield, Illinois 62706.
Contact ILGA Webmaster

ILGA.gov uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By continuing to browse ILGA.gov you consent to our use of cookies.
Read About Cookies

ILGA.GOV

2026 ILGA.gov | All Rights Reserved |
ADA

|
Disclaimers
|
Learn