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Session of 2026
SENATE BILL No. 302
By Senators Blasi, Alley, Blew, Bowers, Bowser, Claeys, Clifford, Corson,
Erickson, Fagg, Faust Goudeau, Francisco, Hill, Klemp, Kloos, Masterson,
Murphy, Owens, Peck, Petersen, Pettey, Rose, Shallenburger, Shane, Starnes,
Sykes, Thompson and Warren
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AN ACT concerning education; relating to school districts and accredited
nonpublic schools; prohibiting students from using personal electronic
communication devices during instructional time and providing certain
exceptions; prohibiting school employees from communicating with
students via social media platforms for official school purposes and
providing certain exceptions; requiring the adoption of policies and
procedures relating thereto.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
New Section 1. (a) Each board of education of a school district and
governing authority of an accredited nonpublic elementary or secondary
school shall adopt policies and procedures to govern the use of personal
electronic communication devices by students during instructional time.
Such policies and procedures shall:
(1) Prohibit students from using or accessing personal electronic
communication devices during instructional time;
(2) require that all personal electronic communication devices be
turned off and securely stored away from the student's person in an
inaccessible location during instructional time;
(3) authorize students to not bring personal electronic communication
devices to school by leaving such devices at a house or in a vehicle, even
if such vehicle is located on the school premises;
(4) set forth enforcement procedures and disciplinary actions for
violations of such policies and procedures;
(5) authorize any student to use a personal electronic communication
device during instructional time only if the use is:
(A) Required for the implementation of a student's individualized
education program or 504 plan; or
(B) approved by a licensed physician as a medical necessity to
support the health or well-being of the student; and
(6) authorize a student to contact the student's parent or person acting
as parent through the use of a school telephone or other communications
device that is designated and made available by the school for such
purpose.
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(b) The board of education of a school district and governing
authority of an accredited nonpublic elementary or secondary school may
adopt policies and procedures that limit or prohibit use of personal
electronic communication devices by students during school-sponsored
activities or events that occur outside of instructional time.
(c) As used in this section:
(1) "Instructional time" means the time from the start of the school
day until dismissal at the end of the school day on the school premises,
including, but not limited to, in any classroom, structured or unstructured
learning setting, recess, lunch or passing period. "Instructional time" does
not include any time associated with a student's travel to or from a learning
experience that is not located on the school premises, including any
postsecondary educational course, career technical education course,
work-based learning program or other alternative educational opportunity.
(2) "Personal electronic communication device" means any wireless
electronic communication device that:
(A) Provides for voice, text or video communication between two or
more parties, including, but not limited to, a mobile or cellular phone,
tablet, computer, watch, wireless headphones or earbuds, text messaging
device or personal digital assistant; and
(B) is not owned or issued to students by the school district or
accredited nonpublic elementary or secondary school.
New Sec. 2. (a) Each board of education of a school district and
governing authority of an accredited nonpublic elementary or secondary
school shall adopt policies and procedures to prohibit each employee of
the school district or accredited nonpublic elementary or secondary school
from privately or directly communicating with any student via a social
media platform for official school purposes except as otherwise provided
in subsection (b).
(b) The board of education of a school district or governing authority
of an accredited nonpublic elementary or secondary school may approve a
social media platform to be used for official school purposes.
(c) As used in this section:
(1) "Official school purposes" means the broadcasting or posting of
public, one-way communications that pertain to school functions, activities
or events. "Official school purposes" does not include private
communications, direct communications or two-way communications with
any student.
(2) "Social media platform" means any online website, application,
computer software or other internet medium that permits a person to
become a registered user, establish an account or create a profile for the
purpose of allowing the person to create, share and view user-generated
content through such account or profile. "Social media platform" includes,
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but is not limited to, snapchat, instagram, facebook, X and tiktok.
New Sec. 3. On or before September 1, 2026, each board of
education of a school district and governing authority of an accredited
nonpublic elementary or secondary school shall submit to the state board
of education, on a form and in the manner prescribed by the state board, a
certification that the board of education of the school district or governing
authority of the accredited nonpublic elementary or secondary school has
adopted the policies and procedures required pursuant to sections 1 and 2,
and amendments thereto.
New Sec. 4. The provisions of sections 1 through 3, and amendments
thereto, and any policies and procedures adopted thereunder, shall not
apply to any virtual school as defined in K.S.A. 72-3712, and amendments
thereto.
Sec. 5. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
publication in the statute book.
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