---
title: HB 1009. Education; enact policies and procedures for use of personal electronic devices at school and school sponsored events by students in grades nine through twelve; require local school systems
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb1009
cite_as: HB 1009, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1009
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1009.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1009/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72304
date: 2026-05-05
status: passed
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1008.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1010.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 1226
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1009.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 1009
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-05-05
last_action: Effective Date 2026-12-31
sponsors:
  - Scott Hilton
  - Jan Jones
  - Sandy Donatucci
  - Matt Reeves
  - Deborah Silcox
  - Carmen Rice
  - Shawn Still
text_version: Enrolled
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1009/2025
upstream_id: 2085229
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - school cell phone policy
  - student device rules
  - high school discipline
  - education law
  - classroom distractions
---

# HB 1009. Education; enact policies and procedures for use of personal electronic devices at school and school sponsored events by students in grades nine through twelve; require local school systems

## Text

House Bill 1009 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE)
By: Representatives Hilton of the 48th, Jones of the 47th, Donatucci of the 105th, Reeves of
the 99th, Silcox of the 53rd, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
elementary and secondary education, so as to require local school systems and public schools
to enact policies and procedures for use of personal electronic devices at school and school
sponsored events by students in grades nine through twelve; to revise provisions relative to
permissible student use of personal electronic devices; to revise a definition; to provide for
related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other
purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elementary and
secondary education, is amended by revising Code Section 20-2-324.8, relating to use of
personal electronic devices during school day by students, as follows:
"20-2-324.8.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Access' means viewing, holding, wearing, or otherwise using a device for the
purpose of communication, internet access, gaming, recording, listening to music, or any
other function commonly associated with personal electronic devices.
(2) 'Bell-to-bell' means the period beginning with the first bell signaling the start of
instructional time and ending with the final bell signaling the conclusion of the school
day and shall include all scheduled instructional time, breaks, transitions, assemblies, and
other school related activities occurring between the start and end of the school day.
(3) 'Distraction-free education' means a learning environment where <ins>student</ins> access to
personal electronic devices is <del>restricted</del> <ins>prohibited</ins> to minimize distractions, improve
academic outcomes, and increase meaningful interactions and focused learning
experiences.
(4) 'Personal electronic device' means any portable electronic device capable of
transmitting, receiving, or accessing communications, data, or media. Such term
includes, but is not limited to, smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, <del>e-readers,</del> headphones,
and other devices with functionalities such as wireless communication, internet access,
messaging, video recording, gaming, social media access, or data transmission.
(5) 'School day' means the bell-to-bell period for students receiving instruction on a
school campus. Such term shall not apply to students receiving virtual or remote
instruction away from a school campus.
(6) 'School equipment' means any computer or computer networking equipment,
technology or technology related device or service, or communication system or service
that is operated, owned, leased, and made available to students by a local board of
education, local school system, or public school and that is used for transmitting,
receiving, or accessing communications, data, or media.
(b)(1) Beginning no later than July 1, 2026, no public school student in kindergarten
through grade eight shall be permitted to access personal electronic devices during the
school day, except as otherwise provided in this Code section or required by law.
<ins>(2) Beginning no later than July 1, 2027, no public school student in grades nine through
12 shall be permitted to access personal electronic devices during the school day, except
as otherwise provided in this Code section or required by law.
</ins> (c) By January 1, <del>2026,</del> each <ins>year, each</ins> local school system and public school shall adopt,
<ins>and revise as appropriate,</ins> policies and procedures that, at a minimum:
(1) Prohibit bell-to-bell access to personal electronic devices by students in kindergarten
through grade <del>eight</del> <ins>twelve,</ins> subject to exceptions provided for by law;
(2) Establish appropriate methods for storing students' personal electronic devices,
including, but not limited to, a student's locker, a locked pouch, or a designated place in
the classroom;
(3) Establish clear procedures for off-site events or activities, including all school
sponsored events and field trips, daily transportation, athletic and extracurricular events,
and other instructional opportunities that do not occur on school grounds, <ins>including, but
not limited to, participation in the dual enrollment program, work based learning
programs, and apprenticeship programs;
</ins> (4) Establish clear communication protocols that:
(A) Facilitate all emergency communication through school emergency communication
management systems and coordinated by school personnel;
(B) Require parents or guardians who need to communicate with their student during
the school day to contact the school directly; and
(C) Communicate rules for school personnel and sponsors of all school sponsored
events and field trips, daily transportation, athletic and extracurricular events, and other
instructional opportunities that do not occur on school grounds; and
(5) Provide that any student found in violation of such policies and procedures during
the school day shall be subject to progressive consequences in accordance with the local
school system's or public school's student code of conduct, including, but not limited to,
verbal warnings, confiscation of personal electronic devices, parental notification, and
other actions as deemed appropriate.
(d) A student whose Individualized Education Program (IEP), Section 504 Plan, or
medical plan explicitly mandates the use of a personal electronic device for medical or
educational purposes shall be permitted to access the device as necessary to fulfill the
requirements of the respective program or plan.
(e)(1) Each local school system and public school shall:
(A) Implement appropriate monitoring and enforcement mechanisms to ensure
compliance with policies and procedures established pursuant to this Code section,
which may include, but need not be limited to, assigning designated school personnel
to oversee implementation and adherence to such policies and procedures, conducting
periodic audits of personal electronic device storage, and regularly reviewing
enforcement practices;
(B) Ensure that parents, guardians, and students are informed of such policies and
procedures through student and family handbooks, student codes of conduct, school
public websites, and other common communication channels; and
(C) Regularly review the effectiveness of such policies and procedures and adjust as
necessary to ensure its continued alignment with educational goals and student
well-being.
(2) Each local school system and public school is encouraged to host student and parent
engagement activities designed to promote distraction-free education through personal
electronic device-free, independent play and learning, including, but not limited to,
family workshops, question and answer sessions, town halls, mindfulness or enrichment
sessions, screen-free challenges, and participation in initiatives that encourage students
to engage in meaningful, personal electronic device-free play and activities.
(f) The Department of Education shall provide local school systems and public schools
with guidance and technical support for the effective implementation and enforcement of
the provisions of this Code section.
(g) Nothing in this Code section shall be construed or applied to prohibit or limit a local
school system or public school from providing school equipment, including, but not limited
to, laptops and tablets, for student use for educational purposes.
(h) This Code section shall not be subject to waiver pursuant to Code Section 20-2-82 for
a strategic waivers school system, Code Section 20-2-2063.2 or 20-2-2065 for a charter
system, Code Section 20-2-2065 for a charter school, Code Section 20-2-2096.3 for a
completion special school, or Code Section 20-2-244."
SECTION 2.
This Act shall become effective December 31, 2026.
SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.

## Summaries written by Georgia Commons

The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.

Georgia House Bill 1009 would extend the state's ban on student personal electronic device use during the school day to grades nine through twelve, starting no later than July 1, 2027, expanding a rule already applying to kindergarten through eighth grade.

### Plain-language summary

Georgia law already required schools to stop kindergarten through eighth grade students from accessing phones and similar devices during the school day starting in 2026. This bill extends that same bell-to-bell restriction to high school students in grades nine through twelve, with schools required to implement it no later than July 1, 2027.
The bill updates the definition of 'distraction-free education' so access is fully prohibited rather than just restricted, and removes e-readers from the list of covered personal electronic devices. It requires every local school system and public school to adopt (and revise yearly) policies covering device storage, off-site events like dual enrollment or apprenticeship programs, emergency communication protocols, and progressive discipline for violations. Students with an IEP, Section 504 Plan, or medical plan requiring device use are exempted. The law takes effect December 31, 2026.

### What it does

- Extends the existing bell-to-bell personal electronic device ban, previously limited to kindergarten through eighth grade, to also cover grades nine through twelve by no later than July 1, 2027.
- Changes the definition of 'distraction-free education' from restricting to fully prohibiting student access to personal electronic devices.
- Removes e-readers from the legal definition of 'personal electronic device' covered by the restrictions.
- Requires local school systems and public schools to adopt device policies by January 1 each year, not just once by 2026, and to revise them as needed.
- Adds dual enrollment, work based learning, and apprenticeship programs to the list of off-site activities that must have clear device use procedures.
- Keeps an exception allowing students with an IEP, Section 504 Plan, or medical plan requiring device use to access their device as needed.

### Who it affects

Public school students in grades nine through twelve and their parents, high school teachers and administrators, local school systems and boards of education that must write and enforce new policies, and students with IEPs, 504 Plans, or medical plans that require device use.

### Why it matters

High school students would lose access to phones and similar devices for the entire school day starting in 2027, changing how they communicate with parents, participate in field trips or work based learning, and face discipline for violations, while schools must build new storage, monitoring, and communication systems.

### Key provisions

- Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 20-2-324.8 so the existing device ban for kindergarten through eighth grade also applies to grades nine through twelve beginning no later than July 1, 2027.
- Section 1 requires local school systems and public schools to adopt and annually revise policies by January 1 of each year, covering device storage, discipline, and communication protocols.
- Section 1 expands required off-site procedures to explicitly include dual enrollment, work based learning, and apprenticeship programs, in addition to field trips and athletics.
- Section 1 preserves an exception for students whose IEP, Section 504 Plan, or medical plan requires personal electronic device use.
- Section 1 states the Department of Education must provide guidance and technical support, and that the requirement cannot be waived under several charter and strategic waiver school provisions.
- Section 2 sets the law's effective date as December 31, 2026.

## Status

- Status: Passed (2026-05-05)
- Last action: Effective Date 2026-12-31 (2026-05-05)
- Sponsors: Scott Hilton, Jan Jones, Sandy Donatucci, Matt Reeves, Deborah Silcox, Carmen Rice, Shawn Still
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72304

> The history, votes, and amendments (1,226 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1009.md?full=1