Bill Text: TX HB1481 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Enrolled

Texas House Bill 1481

Bill Title: Relating to school district and open-enrollment charter school policies regarding student use of personal communication devices.

Sponsorship: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 63-32)

Status: (Passed) 2025-06-20 - Effective immediately [HB1481 Detail]

Download: Texas-2025-HB1481-Enrolled.html



	H.B. No. 1481




	AN ACT
	relating to school district and open-enrollment charter school
	policies regarding student use of personal communication devices.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1. Section 37.082, Education Code, is amended to
	read as follows:
	Sec. 37.082. STUDENT USE [~~POSSESSION~~] OF PERSONAL
	COMMUNICATION [~~PAGING~~] DEVICES. (a) Notwithstanding any other law
	and subject to Subsection (c), the [~~The~~] board of trustees of a
	school district or the governing body of an open-enrollment charter
	school shall [~~may~~] adopt, implement, and ensure the district or
	school complies with a written policy prohibiting a student from
	using [~~possessing~~] a personal communication [~~paging~~] device while
	on school property during the school day [~~or while attending a~~
	~~school-sponsored or school-related activity on or off school~~
	~~property~~]. The policy must [~~may~~] establish disciplinary measures
	to be imposed for violation of the prohibition and may provide for
	confiscation of the personal communication [~~paging~~] device.
	(b) The policy may provide for the school district or
	open-enrollment charter school to:
	(1) comply with this section by:
	(A) prohibiting a student from bringing a
	personal communication device on school property; or
	(B) designating a method for the storage of a
	student's personal communication device while the student is on
	school property during the school day; and
	(2) dispose of a confiscated personal communication
	[~~paging~~] device in any reasonable manner after having provided the
	student's parent 90 [~~and the company whose name and address or~~
	~~telephone number appear on the device 30~~] days' prior notice in
	writing of the district's or school's [~~its~~] intent to dispose of
	that device. [~~The notice shall include the serial number of the~~
	~~device and may be made by telephone, telegraph, or in writing; and~~
	[~~(2)~~ ~~charge the owner of the device or the student's~~
	~~parent an administrative fee not to exceed $15 before it releases~~
	~~the device.~~]
	(c) In adopting the policy, the board of trustees of a
	school district or governing body of an open-enrollment charter
	school must authorize the use of a personal communication device:
	(1) necessary to implement an individualized
	education program, a plan created under Section 504, Rehabilitation
	Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. Section 794), or a similar program or plan;
	(2) by a student with a documented need based on a
	directive from a qualified physician; or
	(3) necessary to comply with a health or safety
	requirement imposed by law or as part of the district's or school's
	safety protocols.
	(d) In this section, "personal communication [~~paging~~]
	device" means a telephone, cell phone such as a smartphone or flip
	phone, tablet, smartwatch, radio device, paging device, or any
	other electronic [~~telecommunications~~] device capable of
	telecommunication or digital communication [~~that emits an audible~~
	~~signal, vibrates, displays a message, or otherwise summons or~~
	~~delivers a communication to the possessor~~]. The term does not
	include an electronic device provided to a student by a school
	district or open-enrollment charter school [~~an amateur radio under~~
	~~the control of an operator who holds an amateur radio station~~
	~~license issued by the Federal Communications Commission~~].
	(e) The agency shall develop and publish on the agency's
	Internet website model language for the policy required under this
	section.
	(f) This section does not apply to an adult education
	program operated under a charter granted under Subchapter G,
	Chapter 12.
	SECTION 2. As soon as practicable, but not later than the
	90th day after the effective date of this Act, the board of trustees
	of a school district or the governing body of an open-enrollment
	charter school shall adopt the policy required by Section 37.082,
	Education Code, as amended by this Act.
	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
	Act takes effect September 1, 2025.


	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House


	I certify that H.B. No. 1481 was passed by the House on April
	24, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 128, Nays 17, 2 present, not
	voting.

	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House


	I certify that H.B. No. 1481 was passed by the Senate on May
	25, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	APPROVED: _____________________
	Date

	_____________________
	Governor