Bill Full Text
Home
-
Bills
-
Bill
-
Authors
-
Dates
-
Locations
-
Analyses
-
Organizations
<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<ns0:MeasureDoc xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xmlns:ns0="http://lc.ca.gov/legalservices/schemas/caml.1#" xmlns:ns3="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" version="1.0" xsi:schemaLocation="http://lc.ca.gov/legalservices/schemas/caml.1# xca.1.xsd">
<ns0:Description>
<ns0:Id>20250AB__164498AMD</ns0:Id>
<ns0:VersionNum>98</ns0:VersionNum>
<ns0:History>
<ns0:Action>
<ns0:ActionText>INTRODUCED</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-01-27</ns0:ActionDate>
</ns0:Action>
<ns0:Action>
<ns0:ActionText>AMENDED_ASSEMBLY</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-03-19</ns0:ActionDate>
</ns0:Action>
</ns0:History>
<ns0:LegislativeInfo>
<ns0:SessionYear>2025</ns0:SessionYear>
<ns0:SessionNum>0</ns0:SessionNum>
<ns0:MeasureType>AB</ns0:MeasureType>
<ns0:MeasureNum>1644</ns0:MeasureNum>
<ns0:MeasureState>AMD</ns0:MeasureState>
</ns0:LegislativeInfo>
<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Assembly Members Muratsuchi, Hoover, Lowenthal, and Wicks</ns0:AuthorText>
<ns0:AuthorText authorType="COAUTHOR_OPPOSITE">(Coauthor: Senator Niello)</ns0:AuthorText>
<ns0:Authors>
<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>LEAD_AUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Muratsuchi</ns0:Name>
</ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>LEAD_AUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Hoover</ns0:Name>
</ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>LEAD_AUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Lowenthal</ns0:Name>
</ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>LEAD_AUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Wicks</ns0:Name>
</ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Niello</ns0:Name>
</ns0:Legislator>
</ns0:Authors>
<ns0:Title>An act to amend and repeal Section 48901.7 of, and to add Section 48901.9 to, the Education Code, relating to pupils.</ns0:Title>
<ns0:RelatingClause>pupils</ns0:RelatingClause>
<ns0:GeneralSubject>
<ns0:Subject>Pupils: use of smartphones: prohibition.</ns0:Subject>
</ns0:GeneralSubject>
<ns0:DigestText>
<html:p>Existing law requires the governing board of a school district, a county board of education, and the governing body of a charter school to, no later than July 1, 2026, develop and adopt, and update every 5 years, a policy to limit or prohibit the use by its pupils of smartphones while the pupils are at a schoolsite or while the pupils are under the supervision and control of an employee or employees of that local educational agency.</html:p>
<html:p>This
bill would make these provisions inoperative on July 1, 2027, and would repeal it as of January 1, 2028.</html:p>
<html:p>The bill would instead require the governing board of a school district, a county board of education, and the governing body of a charter school to, no later than July 1, 2027, develop and adopt, and update every 5 years, a policy that prohibits the use of smartphones by pupils while the pupils are at a schoolsite or while the pupils are under the supervision and control of an employee or employees of that local educational agency. The bill would require the adopted policy to be made available to the State Department of Education upon request. The bill would state that the goal of the policy is to create a bell-to-bell ban of smartphone use to support pupil learning and well-being. By imposing additional duties on local educational agencies, the bill would constitute a state-mandated local program.</html:p>
<html:p>The
California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.</html:p>
</ns0:DigestText>
<ns0:DigestKey>
<ns0:VoteRequired>MAJORITY</ns0:VoteRequired>
<ns0:Appropriation>NO</ns0:Appropriation>
<ns0:FiscalCommittee>YES</ns0:FiscalCommittee>
<ns0:LocalProgram>YES</ns0:LocalProgram>
</ns0:DigestKey>
<ns0:MeasureIndicators>
<ns0:ImmediateEffect>NO</ns0:ImmediateEffect>
<ns0:ImmediateEffectFlags>
<ns0:Urgency>NO</ns0:Urgency>
<ns0:TaxLevy>NO</ns0:TaxLevy>
<ns0:Election>NO</ns0:Election>
<ns0:UsualCurrentExpenses>NO</ns0:UsualCurrentExpenses>
<ns0:BudgetBill>NO</ns0:BudgetBill>
<ns0:Prop25TrailerBill>NO</ns0:Prop25TrailerBill>
</ns0:ImmediateEffectFlags>
</ns0:MeasureIndicators>
</ns0:Description>
<ns0:Bill id="bill">
<ns0:Preamble>The people of the State of California do enact as follows:</ns0:Preamble>
<ns0:BillSection id="id_A89F0A10-B95E-4872-A0BD-606282F62AC7">
<ns0:Num>SECTION 1.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:ActionLine action="IS_AMENDED" ns3:href="urn:caml:codes:EDC:caml#xpointer(%2Fcaml%3ALawDoc%2Fcaml%3ACode%2Fcaml%3ALawHeading%5B%40type%3D'TITLE'%20and%20caml%3ANum%3D'2.'%5D%2Fcaml%3ALawHeading%5B%40type%3D'DIVISION'%20and%20caml%3ANum%3D'4.'%5D%2Fcaml%3ALawHeading%5B%40type%3D'PART'%20and%20caml%3ANum%3D'27.'%5D%2Fcaml%3ALawHeading%5B%40type%3D'CHAPTER'%20and%20caml%3ANum%3D'6.'%5D%2Fcaml%3ALawHeading%5B%40type%3D'ARTICLE'%20and%20caml%3ANum%3D'1.'%5D%2Fcaml%3ALawSection%5Bcaml%3ANum%3D'48901.7.'%5D)" ns3:label="fractionType: LAW_SECTION" ns3:type="locator">
Section 48901.7 of the
<ns0:DocName>Education Code</ns0:DocName>
is amended to read:
</ns0:ActionLine>
<ns0:Fragment>
<ns0:LawSection id="id_064486B5-87C7-40A9-8D1E-8C783767A87D">
<ns0:Num>48901.7.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_FC80E899-B74B-4EBB-BD91-73EA3F0FD222">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The governing board of a school district, a county board of education, and the governing body of a charter school shall, no later than July 1, 2026, develop and adopt, and shall update every five years, a policy to limit or prohibit the use by its pupils of smartphones while the pupils are at a schoolsite or while the pupils are under the supervision and control of an employee or employees of that school district, county office of education, or charter school. The goal of the policy shall be to promote evidence-based use of smartphone practices to support pupil learning and well-being. The development of the policy shall involve significant stakeholder participation in order to ensure that the
policy is responsive to the unique needs and desires of pupils, parents, and educators in each community. The policy may also include enforcement mechanisms that limit access to smartphones.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a pupil shall not be prohibited from possessing or using a smartphone under any of the following circumstances:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Unless explicitly addressed in a comprehensive school safety plan adopted pursuant to Section 32282, in the case of an emergency or in response to a perceived threat of danger.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
When a teacher or administrator of the school district, county office of education, or charter school grants permission to a pupil to possess or use a smartphone, subject to any reasonable limitation imposed by that teacher or administrator.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
When a licensed physician and surgeon determines that the possession or use of a smartphone is necessary for the health or well-being of the pupil.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(4)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
When the possession or use of a smartphone is required in a pupil’s individualized education program.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
This section does not authorize monitoring, collecting, or otherwise accessing any information related to a pupil’s online activities.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(d)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2027, and, as of January 1, 2028, is repealed.
</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:LawSectionVersion>
</ns0:LawSection>
</ns0:Fragment>
</ns0:BillSection>
<ns0:BillSection id="id_E5F2B6A9-95DD-4302-8580-DF0ED49534F2">
<ns0:Num>SEC. 2.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:ActionLine action="IS_ADDED" ns3:href="urn:caml:codes:EDC:caml#xpointer(%2Fcaml%3ALawDoc%2Fcaml%3ACode%2F%2Fcaml%3ALawSection%5Bcaml%3ANum%3D'48901.9'%5D)" ns3:label="fractionType: LAW_SECTION" ns3:type="locator">
Section 48901.9 is added to the
<ns0:DocName>Education Code</ns0:DocName>
, to read:
</ns0:ActionLine>
<ns0:Fragment>
<ns0:LawSection id="id_D2A32A63-2653-4D08-A3B2-8BA6DF150918">
<ns0:Num>48901.9.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_B5A52A1E-DFB7-49CF-871B-6DEB45452A57">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The governing board of a school district, a county board of education, and the governing body of a charter school shall, no later than July 1, 2027, develop and adopt, and shall update every five years, a policy that prohibits the use of smartphones by pupils while the pupils are at a schoolsite or while the pupils are under the supervision and control of an employee or employees of that school district, county office of education, or charter school. The goal of the policy shall be to create a bell-to-bell ban of smartphone use to support pupil learning and well-being. The development of the policy shall involve significant stakeholder participation in order to ensure that the policy is responsive to the unique needs and desires of pupils, parents, and educators in each community. The policy may also
include enforcement mechanisms that restrict access to smartphones.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a pupil shall not be prohibited from possessing or using a smartphone under any of the following circumstances:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Unless explicitly addressed in a comprehensive school safety plan adopted pursuant to Section 32282, in the case of an emergency or in response to a perceived threat of danger.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
When a teacher or administrator of the school district, county office of education, or charter school grants permission to a pupil to possess or use a smartphone, subject to any reasonable limitation imposed by that teacher or administrator.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
When a licensed physician and surgeon determines that the possession or use of a smartphone is necessary for the
health or well-being of the pupil.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(4)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
When the possession or use of a smartphone is required in a pupil’s individualized education program.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The governing board of a school district, a county board of education, and the governing body of a charter school may be subject to monitoring and auditing by the department to ensure compliance with the requirements of this section and shall make the policy adopted pursuant to subdivision (a) available to the department upon request.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(d)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
This section does not authorize monitoring, collecting, or otherwise accessing any information related to a pupil’s online activities.
</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:LawSectionVersion>
</ns0:LawSection>
</ns0:Fragment>
</ns0:BillSection>
<ns0:BillSection id="id_72A4E296-F439-436E-95B7-06AB4F8F75F9">
<ns0:Num>SEC. 3.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:BillSection>
</ns0:Bill>
</ns0:MeasureDoc>