A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning education.
Summary
HB 1034 would require every Indiana school corporation and charter school to adopt and implement a wireless communication device policy governing student use during the school day. The bill broadens the definition of “wireless communication device” to include cell phones, tablets, laptops, gaming devices, and smartwatches connected to a phone, cell tower, or the internet. As introduced, the policy must generally prohibit students from using or possessing such devices during the school day, while allowing limited teacher-directed educational use, emergency use, and use related to student health care.
The bill also requires schools to choose one of two stronger enforcement approaches: either a no-device policy, under which students may not bring wireless devices to school, or a secure-storage policy, under which devices may be brought to school but must be stored and inaccessible until dismissal. Schools must post their policies on their websites, and the Indiana Department of Education must publish model policy language and implementation guidance. The bill is effective July 1, 2026.
Impact
HB 1034 would amend IC 20-26-5-40.7 and expand statewide requirements for student wireless device policies in public school corporations and charter schools. It would shift local school policy from a more flexible framework to a mandatory statewide baseline that restricts student possession and use during the school day, while carving out exceptions for IEPs, Section 504 plans, documented medical needs, emergencies, and language translation needs. It also imposes administrative duties on schools to publish policies and on the Department of Education to provide model language and guidance.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee discussion or votes, the bill appears to reflect a generally restrictive approach toward student cellphone and device use in schools, with an emphasis on classroom focus, consistency, and school control. The inclusion of exceptions for disability accommodations, medical needs, emergencies, and multilingual access suggests an effort to balance restrictions with practical student needs. No recorded votes or transcript comments are available here to indicate broader legislative support or opposition.
Contention
The main points of contention are likely to be the breadth of the device ban and the degree of local flexibility schools retain. Supporters would likely favor the bill’s stricter limits on distractions and its requirement that teacher-directed educational use occur only on school-supplied devices, while opponents may object to the no-device or secure-storage mandate as overly rigid or burdensome for students, families, and schools. Additional concerns may center on enforcement, equity for students who rely on personal devices for accessibility or communication, and whether the policy is too restrictive for legitimate educational use.
An Act to amend and reenact § 15.2-2316.3 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 15.2-2316.4:4, relating to zoning; wireless facilities; temporary support structure.