The bill amends Chapter 16-21 of the General Laws by introducing a new section, 16-21-43, which requires each public school to establish a policy regarding the use of personal electronic devices on school grounds and during school-sponsored activities. The purpose of this policy is to reduce distractions, maintain environments focused on learning, and protect the privacy and safety of students and staff. Schools must notify the parents or guardians of all students about this policy, which must include a prohibition on physical access to personal electronic devices by students during the school day, as defined by the Department of Education and the Commission of Elementary and Secondary Education.

The policy must allow for exceptions for student personal device use that provides access to assistive technology necessary to comply with individualized student 504 plans, individualized education plans (IEP), medical needs such as glucose monitoring, and support for emergent multilingual learners (MLL) with appropriate language access programs and services. These exceptions must be documented in the student's identified plan and approved by the appropriate team or coordinator. Students granted an exception shall not be segregated from their peers, and exceptions must also be made in emergencies.

For the purposes of this section, a personal electronic device is defined as a smartphone, mobile phone, tablet, computer, smartwatch, or other electronic device not owned or provided to a student by a public school that is capable of communication through the Internet or a wireless network. The policy and any standards and rules enforcing it shall be prescribed by the school committee in conjunction with the superintendent or the board of trustees of a charter school, in consultation with any collective bargaining agents representing school staff. The policy must be enforced consistently by school administration to minimize potential conflicts among students, parents, educators, and staff.

Additionally, no school official, employee, or agent of the school may search the contents of any personal electronic device retained by the school during school hours and not in the student's possession in a locked pouch or container. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, in consultation with the Attorney General's office and the Department of Public Health, shall provide guidance and recommendations to assist schools in developing and implementing effective policies regarding the use of personal electronic devices. This guidance shall be publicly available on the department's website and reviewed annually to reflect applicable research and best practices. Each school district and charter school is required to file its personal electronic device use policy with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in a manner and form prescribed by the department. This act is set to take effect on August 1, 2026.