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HB4141 • 2026

Education: students; a wireless communications device policy: require the board of a school district or board of directors of a public school academy to implement. Amends 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1 - 380.1852) by adding sec. 1303a & repeals sec. 1303 of 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1303). TIE BAR WITH: SB 0495'25

Education: students; a wireless communications device policy: require the board of a school district or board of directors of a public school academy to implement. Amends 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1 - 380.1852) by adding sec. 1303a & repeals sec. 1303 of 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1303). TIE BAR WITH: SB 0495'25

Education Healthcare
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Mark Tisdel (District 55), Nancy DeBoer (District 86), Kathy Schmaltz (District 46)
Last action
2026-02-18
Official status
assigned PA 002'26 with immediate effect
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific consequences for students who violate the device policy.

School Wireless Device Policy

The bill requires school boards and public school academy directors to create policies that prohibit students from using wireless communication devices during instructional time on school grounds starting in the 2026-2027 academic year.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires school districts and public school academies to make rules about when students can use wireless communication devices.
  • Prohibits the use of these devices by students during class time on school property starting in the 2026-2027 academic year.
  • Allows schools to add more restrictions beyond what is required by law.
  • Requires schools to explain how they will enforce their device policies and provide exceptions for certain situations, such as medical needs or special education accommodations.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Students in public school districts and public school academies
  • School boards and directors of public school academies

Terms To Know

Wireless communications device
An electronic device that can send text messages, make calls, access the internet, or take photos and videos.
Basic telephone
A phone used mainly for voice calling without additional apps or internet access.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if a student breaks the rules about using devices.
  • It only takes effect if another related bill, SB 0495, also becomes law.

Amendments

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

H-4

11

substitute (H-4) adopted and amended

Plain English: substitute (H-4) adopted and amended 11

  • The official amendment file could not be read automatically during the last sync, so only the official amendment metadata is shown right now.
H-8

15

substitute (H-8) adopted

Plain English: substitute (H-8) adopted 15

  • The official amendment file could not be read automatically during the last sync, so only the official amendment metadata is shown right now.
H-2

5

reported with recommendation with substitute (H-2)

Plain English: reported with recommendation with substitute (H-2) 5

  • The official amendment file could not be read automatically during the last sync, so only the official amendment metadata is shown right now.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-18 HJ 12 Pg. 113

    approved by the Governor 02/10/2026 10:32 AM

  2. 2026-02-18 HJ 12 Pg. 113

    filed with Secretary of State 02/10/2026 11:54 AM

  3. 2026-02-18 HJ 12 Pg. 113

    assigned PA 002'26 with immediate effect

  4. 2026-02-03 HJ 8 Pg. 73

    presented to the Governor 02/02/2026 01:02 PM

  5. 2026-01-22 SJ 3 Pg. 18

    RULES SUSPENDED FOR IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION

  6. 2026-01-22 SJ 4 Pg. 24

    AMENDMENT(S) DEFEATED

  7. 2026-01-22 SJ 4 Pg. 24

    PASSED; GIVEN IMMEDIATE EFFECT ROLL CALL # 2 YEAS 34 NAYS 1 EXCUSED 2 NOT VOTING 0

  8. 2026-01-22 SJ 4 Pg. 24

    INSERTED FULL TITLE

  9. 2026-01-22 SJ 4 Pg. 24

    RETURNED TO HOUSE

  10. 2026-01-22 HJ 4 Pg. 53

    returned from Senate without amendment with immediate effect and full title

  11. 2026-01-22 HJ 4 Pg. 53

    full title agreed to

  12. 2026-01-22 HJ 4 Pg. 53

    bill ordered enrolled

  13. 2026-01-21 SJ 3 Pg. 16

    PASSED BY HOUSE WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT

  14. 2026-01-21 SJ 3 Pg. 16

    RULES SUSPENDED

  15. 2026-01-21 SJ 3 Pg. 16

    REFERRED TO COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

  16. 2026-01-21 SJ 3 Pg. 18

    REPORTED BY COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE FAVORABLY WITHOUT AMENDMENT(S)

  17. 2026-01-21 SJ 3 Pg. 18

    PLACED ON ORDER OF THIRD READING

  18. 2026-01-14 HJ 1 Pg. 4

    rule suspended

  19. 2026-01-14 HJ 1 Pg. 4

    vote on passage reconsidered

  20. 2026-01-14 HJ 1 Pg. 4

    substitute (H-8) adopted

  21. 2026-01-14 HJ 1 Pg. 4

    passed; given immediate effect Roll Call #1 Yeas 99 Nays 10 Excused 0 Not Voting 1

  22. 2026-01-14 HJ 1 Pg. 4

    transmitted

  23. 2025-07-24 HJ 67 Pg. 809

    read a third time

  24. 2025-07-24 HJ 67 Pg. 809

    substitute (H-4) adopted and amended

  25. 2025-07-24 HJ 67 Pg. 809

    defeated Roll Call #171 Yeas 53 Nays 45 Excused 0 Not Voting 12

  26. 2025-06-05 HJ 54 Pg. 672

    read a second time

  27. 2025-06-05 HJ 54 Pg. 672

    substitute (H-2) adopted

  28. 2025-06-05 HJ 54 Pg. 672

    placed on third reading

  29. 2025-05-14 HJ 47 Pg. 559

    reported with recommendation with substitute (H-2)

  30. 2025-05-14 HJ 47 Pg. 559

    referred to second reading

  31. 2025-03-04 HJ 22 Pg. 178

    bill electronically reproduced 02/26/2025

  32. 2025-02-26 HJ 21 Pg. 171

    introduced by Representative Rep. Mark Tisdel

  33. 2025-02-26 HJ 21 Pg. 171

    read a first time

  34. 2025-02-26 HJ 21 Pg. 171

    referred to Committee on Education and Workforce

Official Summary Text

Education: students; a wireless communications device policy: require the board of a school district or board of directors of a public school academy to implement. Amends 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1 - 380.1852) by adding sec. 1303a & repeals sec. 1303 of 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1303). TIE BAR WITH: SB 0495'25

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
(40)
Act No. 2
Public Acts of 2026
Approved by the Governor
February 10, 2026
Filed with the Secretary of State
February 10, 2026
EFFECTIVE DATE: February 10, 2026
STATE OF MICHIGAN
103RD LEGISLATURE
REGULAR SESSION OF 2026
Introduced by Reps. Tisdel, DeBoer and Schmaltz
ENROLLED HOUSE BILL No. 4141
AN ACT to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled “An act to provide a system of public instruction and elementary and
secondary schools; to revise, consolidate, and clarify the laws relating to elementary and secondary education; to
provide for the organization, regulation, and maintenance of schools, school districts, public school academie s,
intermediate school districts, and other public school entities; to prescribe rights, powers, duties, and privileges
of schools, school districts, public school academies, intermediate school districts, and other public school entities;
to provide for the regulation of school teachers and certain other school employees; to provide for school elections
and to prescribe powers and duties with respect thereto; to provide for the levy and collection of taxes; to provide
for the borrowing of money and issuanc e of bonds and other evidences of indebtedness; to establish a fund and
provide for expenditures from that fund; to make appropriations for certain purposes; to provide for and prescribe
the powers and duties of certain state departments, the state board o f education, and certain other boards and
officials; to provide for licensure of boarding schools; to prescribe penalties; and to repeal acts and parts of acts, ”
(MCL 380.1 to 380.1852) by adding section 1303a; and to repeal acts and parts of acts.
The People of the State of Michigan enact:
Sec. 1303a. (1) Beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, the board of a school district or the board of directors
of a public school academy shall implement a wireless communications device policy that prohibits students from
using a wireless communications device on school grounds during instructional time.
(2) The board of a school district or the board of directors of a public school academy may implement additional
restrictions regarding the use of wireless communications devices.
(3) A wireless communications device policy implemented under this section must provide details regarding
enforcement mechanisms that the school will use to achieve the goals of the policy.
(4) A wireless communications device policy implemented under this section must provide exemptions for all
of the following:
(a) Medically necessary devices.
(b) District-owned devices, including, but not limited to, school-issued tablets and laptops.
(c) Devices designated by the district to be used for instructional purposes.
(d) Devices used for special education programming or devices provided as an accommodation to students as
required under section 504 of title V of the rehabilitation act of 1973, 29 USC 794, or as part of an individualized
education plan under title II of the Americans with disabilities act of 1990, 42 USC 12131 to 12165.
(e) Lesson-specific academic assignments, at the limited and direct discretion of a classroom teacher.
(f) Emergency situations, as described in an emergency operations plan developed under section 1308b. Use of
a wireless communications device under this subdivision must not interfere with school emergency protocols or
the actions of first responders, and must not endanger students or faculty.
2
(5) The board of a school district or board of directors of a public school academy shall post the wireless
communications device policy implemented under this section on the school district ’s or public school academy ’s
website.
(6) As used in this section:
(a) “ Basic telephone” means a device primarily used for voice calling that cannot support third-party
applications, except those preinstalled, and does not support access to internet platforms via applications or web
browsers.
(b) “School grounds” means a building, playing field, or property used for school purposes to impart instruction
to children or used for functions and events sponsored by a school . School grounds does not include a building
used primarily for adult education or college extension courses.
(c) “Wireless communications device” means an electronic device capable of, but not limited to, text messaging,
voice communication, entertainment, navigation, accessing the internet, sending and receiving photos and videos,
or producing email. Wireless communications device does not include a basic telephone.

Enacting section 1. Section 1303 of the revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.1303, is repealed.

Enacting section 2. This amendatory act does not take effect unless Senate Bill No. 495 of the 103rd Legislature
is enacted into law.
This act is ordered to take immediate effect.

Clerk of the House of Representatives

Secretary of the Senate
Approved___________________________________________

____________________________________________________
Governor