Connecticut HB 5149: AN ACT INCREASING FUNDING FOR TOBACCO PREVENTION AND CESSATION EFFORTS.

Bill Text

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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 5149
February Session, 2026

AN ACT CONCERNING PHONE-FREE SCHOOLS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 10-233j of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 2
(a) No student in a public school in the state shall possess or use a 3
[remotely activated] paging device unless such student obtains the 4
written permission of the school principal for such possession and use. 5
The principal shall grant such permission only if the student or [his] the 6
student's parent or guardian establishes to the satisfaction of the 7
principal that a reasonable basis exists for the possession and use of the 8
paging device. 9
[(b) A local or regional board of education may restrict the student 10
possession or use of cellular mobile telephones in the schools under its 11
jurisdiction. In determining whether to restrict such possession or use, 12
the local or regional board of education shall consider the special needs 13
of parents and students.] 14
(b) (1) As used in this subsection: 15
(A) "Mobile electronic device" means any hand-held or other portable 16
electronic equipment capable of providing data communication 17

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between two or more individuals, including, but not limited to, a 18
cellular mobile telephone, a text messaging device, a paging device, a 19
personal digital assistant, a laptop computer, equipment that is capable 20
of playing a video game or a digital video disk or equipment on which 21
digital images are taken or transmitted; and 22
(B) "Personal mobile electronic device" means a mobile electronic 23
device that is owned by or otherwise under the control of a student or 24
parent or guardian of a student and has not been issued to such student 25
or another student by the local or regional board of education. 26
(2) In accordance with the local policy adopted pursuant to 27
subdivision (3) of this subsection, no student enrolled in grades 28
kindergarten to twelve, inclusive, in a public school in the state shall 29
possess or use a personal mobile electronic device during the regular 30
school day, except a student shall be permitted to possess or use a 31
personal mobile electronic device if such possession or use is necessary 32
(A) to implement the provisions of an individualized education 33
program for such student or a plan pursuant to Section 504 of the 34
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended from time to time, for such 35
student, or (B) for the health and well-being of such student as 36
determined by a licensed physician, physician assistant or advanced 37
practice registered nurse. 38
(3) Each local and regional board of education shall develop and 39
adopt a local policy restricting the student possession or use of personal 40
mobile electronic devices during the regular school day. A board shall 41
consider the unique needs of teachers, administrators, parents and 42
guardians and students in the school district. Such local policy shall 43
include, but need not be limited to, (A) a prohibition on such possession 44
or use by students on school grounds during the regular school day, (B) 45
provisions regarding the storage of personal mobile electronic devices 46
during the regular school day, (C) a system of discipline for violating 47
the provisions of such local policy, and (D) provisions permitting the 48
student possession or use of personal mobile electronic devices during 49
the regular school day (i) to implement the provisions of an 50

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individualized education program for such student or a plan pursuant 51
to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended from time 52
to time, for such student, or (ii) if a licensed physician, physician 53
assistant or advanced practice registered nurse has determined that 54
such possession or use is necessary for the health and well-being of such 55
student. 56
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2026) No local or regional board of 57
education may use social media as the exclusive means of directly 58
communicating with, or otherwise providing notice or information to, 59
students and the parents and guardians of students enrolled in a school 60
under the jurisdiction of the board. As used in this section, "social 61
media" has the same meaning as provided in section 10-231c of the 62
general statutes. 63
Sec. 3. Subdivision (8) of section 10-222aa of the general statutes is 64
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 65
2026): 66
(8) "Mobile electronic device" [means any hand-held or other portable 67
electronic equipment capable of providing data communication 68
between two or more individuals, including, but not limited to, a text 69
messaging device, a paging device, a personal digital assistant, a laptop 70
computer, equipment that is c