--- title: HB 340. Distraction-Free Education Act; enact collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hb340 cite_as: HB 340, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb340 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb340.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb340/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70072 date: 2025-05-09 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-08-28 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/hb339.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb341.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 1518 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb340.md?full=1 bill_number: HB 340 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: bill status_date: 2025-05-09 last_action: Effective Date 2025-07-01 sponsors: - Scott Hilton - Jan Jones - Houston Gaines - Carmen Rice - Carter Barrett - Will Wade - Jason Anavitarte text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB340/2025 upstream_id: 1961013 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - cell phones in schools - student device policy - K-8 education - school discipline - Georgia education law --- # HB 340. Distraction-Free Education Act; enact ## Text 25 LC 49 2284S/AP House Bill 340 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE) By: Representatives Hilton of the 48th, Jones of the 47th, Gaines of the 120th, Rice of the 139th, Barrett of the 24th, and others A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to1 elementary and secondary education, so as to enact the "Distraction-Free Education Act"; to2 require local school systems and public schools to enact policies and procedures for use of3 personal electronic devices at school and school sponsored events by students in kindergarten4 through eighth grade; to provide for permissible student use of personal electronic devices;5 to authorize the Department of Education to provide guidance an d technical assistance; to6 prohibit certain waivers; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to repeal7 conflicting laws; and for other purposes.8 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:9 SECTION 1.10 This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Distraction-Free Education Act."11 SECTION 2.12 Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elementary and13 secondary education, is amended in Part 15 of Article 6, relating to miscellaneous provisions14 under the "Quality Basic Education Act," by adding a new Code section to read as follows:15 H. B. 340 - 1 - 25 LC 49 2284S/AP "20-2-324.8.16 (a) As used in this Code section, the term:17 (1) 'Access' means viewing, holding, wearing, or otherwise usi ng a device for the18 purpose of communication, internet access, gaming, recording, listening to music, or any19 other function commonly associated with personal electronic devices.20 (2) 'Bell-to-bell' means the period beginning with the first b ell signaling the start of21 instructional time and ending with the final bell signaling the conclusion of the school22 day and shall include all scheduled instructional time, breaks, transitions, assemblies, and23 other school related activities occurring between the start and end of the school day.24 (3) 'Distraction-free education' means a learning environment where access to personal25 electronic devices is restricted to minimize distractions, improve academic outcomes, and26 increase meaningful interactions and focused learning experiences.27 (4) 'Personal electronic device' means any portable electronic device capable of28 transmitting, receiving, or accessing communications, data, or media. Such term29 includes, but is not limited to, smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, e-readers, headphones,30 and other devices with functionalities such as wireless communication, internet access,31 messaging, video recording, gaming, social media access, or data transmission.32 (5) 'School day' means the bell-to-bell period for students re ceiving instruction on a33 school campus. Such term shall not apply to students receiving virtual or remote34 instruction away from a school campus.35 (6) 'School equipment' means any computer or computer networki ng equipment,36 technology or technology related device or service, or communication system or service37 that is operated, owned, leased, and made available to students by a local board of38 education, local school system, or public school and that is us ed for transmitting,39 receiving, or accessing communications, data, or media.40 H. B. 340 - 2 - 25 LC 49 2284S/AP (b) Beginning no later than July 1, 2026, no public school student in kindergarten through41 grade eight shall be permitted to access personal electronic devices during the school day,42 except as otherwise provided in this Code section or required by law.43 (c) By January 1, 2026, each lo cal school system and public school shall adopt policies44 and procedures that, at a minimum:45 (1) Prohibit bell-to-bell access to personal electronic devices by students in kindergarten46 through grade eight, subject to exceptions provided for by law;47 (2) Establish appropriate methods for storing students' person al electronic devices,48 including, but not limited to, a student's locker, a locked pouch, or a designated place in49 the classroom;50 (3) Establish clear procedures for off-site events or activiti es, including all school51 sponsored events and field trips, daily transportation, athletic and extracurricular events,52 and other instructional opportunities that do not occur on school grounds;53 (4) Establish clear communication protocols that:54 (A) Facilitate all emergency communication through school emergency communication55 management systems and coordinated by school personnel;56 (B) Require parents or guardians who need to communicate with their student during57 the school day to contact the school directly; and58 (C) Communicate rules for school personnel and sponsors of all school sponsored59 events and field trips, daily transportation, athletic and extracurricular events, and other60 instructional opportunities that do not occur on school grounds; and61 (5) Provide that any student found in violation of such polici es and procedures during62 the school day shall be subject to progressive consequences in accordance with the local63 school system's or public school's student code of conduct, including, but not limited to,64 verbal warnings, confiscation of personal electronic devices, p arental notification, and65 other actions as deemed appropriate.66 H. B. 340 - 3 - 25 LC 49 2284S/AP (d) A student whose Individualized Education Program (IEP), Se ction 504 Plan, or67 medical plan explicitly mandates the use of a personal electron ic device for medical or68 educational purposes shall be permitted to access the device as necessary to fulfill the69 requirements of the respective program or plan.70 (e)(1) Each local school system and public school shall:71 (A) Implement appropriate monitoring and enforcement mechanism s to ensure72 compliance with policies and procedures established pursuant to this Code section,73 which may include, but need not be limited to, assigning designated school personnel74 to oversee implementation and adherence to such policies and procedures, conducting75 periodic audits of personal electronic device storage, and regu larly reviewing76 enforcement practices;77 (B) Ensure that parents, guardians, and students are informed of such policies and78 procedures through student and family handbooks, student codes of conduct, school79 public websites, and other common communication channels; and80 (C) Regularly review the effectiveness of such policies and procedures and adjust as81 necessary to ensure its continued alignment with educational go als and student82 well-being.83 (2) Each local school system and public school is encouraged to host student and parent84 engagement activities designed to promote distraction-free education through personal85 electronic device-free, independent play and learning, includin g, but not limited to,86 family workshops, question and answer sessions, town halls, mindfulness or enrichment87 sessions, screen-free challenges, and participation in initiatives that encourage students88 to engage in meaningful, personal electronic device-free play and activities.89 (f) The Department of Education shall provide local school sys tems and public schools90 with guidance and technical support for the effective implementation and enforcement of91 the provisions of this Code section.92 H. B. 340 - 4 - 25 LC 49 2284S/AP (g) Nothing in this Code section shall be construed or applied to prohibit or limit a local93 school system or public school from providing school equipment, including, but not limited94 to, laptops and tablets, for student use for educational purposes.95 (h) This Code section shall not be subject to waiver pursuant to Code Section 20-2-82 for96 a strategic waivers school system, Code Section 20-2-2063.2 or 20-2-2065 for a charter97 system, Code Section 20-2-2065 for a charter school, Code Secti on 20-2-2096.3 for a98 completion special school, or Code Section 20-2-244."99 SECTION 3.100 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.101 H. B. 340 - 5 - ## 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 340 would require public schools to ban student cell phone and personal device access from kindergarten through eighth grade during the entire school day starting July 1, 2026. ### Plain-language summary Georgia does not currently have a statewide requirement limiting student use of personal electronic devices like smartphones during the school day. This bill, called the "Distraction-Free Education Act," changes that by adding a new section to Georgia's education code (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-324.8). By January 1, 2026, every local school system and public school must adopt policies banning "bell-to-bell" access to personal electronic devices for students in kindergarten through eighth grade, meaning no access from the first bell to the last bell of the school day. Schools must set up storage methods, rules for field trips and off-campus events, communication protocols for parents, and progressive discipline for violations. Students with a device requirement in an IEP, Section 504 plan, or medical plan are exempt. The ban itself takes effect no later than July 1, 2026, and schools cannot get waivers from it even if they otherwise qualify as charter systems or strategic waiver systems. ### What it does - Bans personal electronic device access, including smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, and headphones, for K-8 public school students during the entire school day starting July 1, 2026. - Requires every local school system and public school to adopt written policies and procedures on device use by January 1, 2026, including storage methods and discipline steps. - Exempts students whose IEP, Section 504 plan, or medical plan requires use of a personal electronic device for medical or educational reasons. - Requires schools to set communication protocols so parents contact the school directly, rather than the student's device, during emergencies or other needs. - Directs the Department of Education to give schools guidance and technical support on implementing the new rules. - Blocks schools from using existing waiver laws (for charter systems, charter schools, strategic waiver systems, and completion special schools) to get out of this requirement. ### Who it affects Public school students in kindergarten through eighth grade, their parents and guardians, local school systems and public schools that must write and enforce new policies, school personnel who monitor compliance, and the Department of Education, which must provide guidance. ### Why it matters Families and schools would see a concrete shift in daily routines: K-8 students could no longer keep phones or smartwatches accessible during the school day, parents would have to call the school office instead of a child's device, and schools would need new storage systems and discipline procedures to enforce the ban. ### Key provisions - Section 2 adds O.C.G.A. § 20-2-324.8, defining terms like 'bell-to-bell,' 'personal electronic device,' and 'distraction-free education.' - Subsection (b) bans K-8 student access to personal electronic devices during the school day starting no later than July 1, 2026. - Subsection (c) requires schools to adopt policies by January 1, 2026 covering device storage, off-site event rules, parent communication protocols, and progressive discipline. - Subsection (d) exempts students whose IEP, Section 504 plan, or medical plan mandates device use. - Subsection (e) requires schools to monitor compliance, inform families through handbooks and websites, and periodically review the policies' effectiveness. - Subsection (f) directs the Department of Education to provide implementation guidance and technical support to schools. - Subsection (g) clarifies schools may still provide school-owned equipment like laptops and tablets for educational use. - Subsection (h) bars this requirement from being waived under several existing charter and strategic waiver system laws. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-05-09) - Last action: Effective Date 2025-07-01 (2025-05-09) - Sponsors: Scott Hilton, Jan Jones, Houston Gaines, Carmen Rice, Carter Barrett, Will Wade, Jason Anavitarte - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70072 > The history, votes, and amendments (1,518 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb340.md?full=1