MTR VEHICLE/VIOLATIONS: Defines the term "school zone" relative to the operation of a motor vehicle while using a wireless telecommunication device (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

Education

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Bryan Fontenot
Last action: 2026-05-29
Official status: Sent to Governor
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation included some speculative elements that were not supported by the official source material.

School Zone Definition for Driving Rules

This bill defines a 'school zone' as an area around K-12 schools with special warning signs and sets the times when it is active.

What This Bill Does

Defines a school zone as any designated area adjacent to a public or private kindergarten through twelfth grade school that is properly marked with official school warning traffic control signage.
Specifies that a school zone extends at least two hundred fifty feet prior to the beginning of the designated area.
Establishes that a school zone is in effect sixty minutes before and after school hours.

Who It Names or Affects

Drivers who use wireless telecommunications devices within or near school zones as defined by this bill.

Terms To Know

school zone: A designated area around a K-12 school marked with official warning signs, extending at least two hundred fifty feet prior to the beginning of the designated area and active during specified times before and after school hours.
wireless telecommunications device: Any portable electronic device used for manual input to write, send, or read text or data while driving, excluding devices permanently affixed to a vehicle or those used hands-free.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify penalties for violating the rules in school zones.
It is unclear how this will be enforced by local authorities.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

House Floor Amendment #3102 Fontenot Adopted

Adopted

Plain English: HFAHB844 4931 3102 FOR OFFICE USE ONLY HOUSE FLOOR AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Representative Fontenot to Engrossed House Bill No.

HFAHB844 4931 3102 FOR OFFICE USE ONLY HOUSE FLOOR AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Representative Fontenot to Engrossed House Bill No.
844 by Representative Fontenot 1 AMENDMENT NO.
1 2 On page 1, line 19, after "less" and before "two" change "that" to "than" Page 1 of 1 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions.

Bill History

2026-05-29 H
Sent to the Governor for executive approval.
2026-05-28 S
Signed by the President of the Senate.
2026-05-28 H
Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.
2026-05-28 H
Received from the Senate without amendments.
2026-05-27 S
Read by title, passed by a vote of 36 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
2026-05-27 S
Called from the Calendar.
2026-05-13 S
Read by title and returned to the Calendar, subject to call.
2026-05-13 S
Rules suspended.
2026-05-05 S
Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.
2026-05-04 S
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
2026-04-29 S
Reported favorably.
2026-04-13 S
Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works.
2026-04-08 S
Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.
2026-04-07 H
Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 101, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
2026-04-01 H
Scheduled for floor debate on 04/07/2026.
2026-03-31 H
Read by title, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.
2026-03-30 H
Reported favorably (16-0).
2026-03-09 H
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works.
2026-02-27 H
First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/27/2026.
2026-02-27 H
Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works.
2026-02-27 H
Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

MTR VEHICLE/VIOLATIONS: Defines the term "school zone" relative to the operation of a motor vehicle while using a wireless telecommunication device (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

ENROLLED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 844
BY REPRESENTATIVE FONTENOT
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 32:59(A)(5) and to enact R.S. 32:59(A)(6), relative to the use of
3 the wireless telecommunications devices while operating a motor vehicle; to provide
4 for definitions; to establish the boundary and when a school zone is in effect; and to
5 provide for related matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 32:59(A)(5) is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S. 32:59(A)(6)
8 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 §59. Use of wireless telecommunications device prohibited; exceptions
10 A. Unless otherwise provided in this Subsection, all terms used in this
11 Section shall have the same meaning as defined in R.S. 32:1. As used in this
12 Section, the following terms shall apply:
13 * * *
14 (5) "School zone" means any designated area adjacent to a public or private
15 kindergarten through twelfth grade school or postsecondary institution, that is
16 properly marked with official school warning or similar traffic control signage,
17 including those provided in Chapter 7 of the Department of Transportation and
18 Development Traffic Engineering Manual relating to schools, and that extends not
19 less than two hundred fifty feet prior to the beginning of the school zone. A school
20 zone shall be in effect sixty minutes before school begins, sixty minutes after school
21 begins, sixty minutes before school ends, and sixty minutes after school ends.
22 (5) (6) "Wireless telecommunications device" means a cellular telephone,
23 a text-messaging device, a personal digital assistant, a stand-alone computer or other
24 electronic device, or any other substantially similar portable wireless device that is
25 readily removable from the vehicle and is used to write, send, or read text or data
26 through manual input. The term "wireless telecommunications device" shall not
Page 1 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HB NO. 844 ENROLLED
1 mean any device or component that is permanently affixed to a motor vehicle, or a
2 device used hands-free, citizens band radios, citizens band radio hybrids, commercial
3 two-way radio communications devices, two-way radio transmitters or receivers used
4 by licensees of the Federal Communications Commission in the Amateur Radio
5 Service, or electronic communication devices with a push-to-talk function.
6 * * *
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
Page 2 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.