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House File 782 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to electronic devices in schools, including
2student access during instructional hours and school safety
3plans, and including effective date provisions.
4BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 256.9, Code 2025, is amended by adding
2the following new subsection:
3 NEW SUBSECTION. 69. Develop and distribute to school
4districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and
5innovation zone schools model policies that, if adopted, would
6satisfy the school district’s, charter school’s, or innovation
7zone school’s responsibilities under section 279.87 relating to
8policies governing student use of personal electronic devices.
9 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 279.87 Limitation on the use of
10personal electronic devices.
111. Commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 2025,
12the board of directors of each school district shall adopt
13policies regarding student use of personal electronic devices
14during school hours that restrict student use of such devices
15during classroom instructional time. The policies must meet
16all of the following requirements:
17a. Identify policies and information related to various
18educational devices and technologies that will be made
19available to students for instructional purposes.
20b. Identify the methods that a parent or guardian of
21a student may use to communicate with the student during
22school hours or while the student is participating in a
23school-sponsored activity.
24c. Identify the methods that a parent or guardian of a
25student may use to communicate with the student during an
26emergency situation.
27d. Include protocols that the school district will use to
28securely store a student’s personal electronic device when such
29device is in the possession of the school district.
30e. Specify the discipline associated with a student’s
31violation of the policies, including the discipline associated
32with a student’s use of a personal electronic device during
33classroom instruction or during the administration of an
34assessment.
35f. Establish a process through which a student’s parent
-1-1or guardian may petition the school district to allow the
2student to maintain access to the student’s personal electronic
3device during the portion of the school day in which classroom
4instructional time is delivered if the student’s parent or
5guardian can establish that there is a legitimate reason
6related to the student’s physical or mental health for the
7student to maintain access to the device during such time.
8g. Allow a student who has an individualized education
9program, or a plan under section 504 of the federal
10Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C. §794, to maintain access to the
11student’s personal electronic device during the portion of the
12school day in which classroom instructional time is delivered
13if the student’s individualized education program, or plan
14under section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C.
15§794, requires the student to maintain such access.
162. The board of directors of a school district may adopt
17policies that limit student use of personal electronic devices
18during school hours, including the use of such devices during
19classroom instructional time, that are more stringent than the
20model policies developed and distributed by the director of the
21department of education pursuant to section 256.9, subsection
2269.
233. For purposes of this section, “personal electronic
24device” includes but is not limited to electronic communication
25equipment, mobile phones, smart phones, video game devices, and
26portable media players.
274. The state board of education may adopt rules pursuant to
28chapter 17A to administer this section.
29 Sec. 3. REVISION OF HIGH-QUALITY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS
30PLANS.
311. The department of education and the department of public
32safety shall do all of the following:
33a. Consult regarding revisions that school districts need
34to make to high-quality emergency operations plans developed
35pursuant to section 280.30 to take into account the provisions
-2-1of section 279.87, as enacted by this Act, and revisions
2that accredited nonpublic schools may make to such plans to
3take into account policies regarding student use of personal
4electronic devices during school hours.
5b. Provide support and guidance to school districts
6regarding how to revise high-quality emergency operations
7plans developed pursuant to section 280.30 so that such plans
8are consistent with the provisions of section 279.87, as
9enacted by this Act, and provide similar support and guidance
10to accredited nonpublic schools that elect to adopt policies
11regarding student use of personal electronic devices during
12school hours.
132. On or before July 1, 2025, each school district shall
14revise the school district’s high-quality emergency operations
15plans developed pursuant to section 280.30 so that such plans
16are consistent with the provisions of section 279.87, as
17enacted by this Act.
18 Sec. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. The following, being deemed of
19immediate importance, take effect upon enactment:
201. The section of this Act enacting section 279.87.
212. The section of this Act relating to the revision of
22high-quality emergency operations plans.
23EXPLANATION
24The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
25the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
26This bill relates to electronic devices in schools,
27including student access during instructional hours and school
28safety plans.
29Commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 2025,
30the bill requires school districts, charter schools, and
31innovation zone schools to adopt policies regarding student
32use of personal electronic devices during school hours. The
33bill establishes what the policies are to include. The bill
34requires the director of the department of education (DE) to
35develop and distribute to schools model policies that, if
-3-1adopted, would satisfy the school’s responsibilities under
2these provisions. However, schools may adopt policies that
3are more stringent than these model policies. The bill
4defines “personal electronic device” to include electronic
5communication equipment, mobile phones, smart phones, video
6game devices, and portable media players. These provisions
7take effect upon enactment.
8The bill requires DE and the department of public safety to
9consult regarding revisions that schools may need to make to
10high-quality emergency operations plans developed pursuant to
11Code section 280.30 to take into account the policies adopted
12pursuant to the bill’s provisions and to provide support and
13guidance to schools regarding how to revise high-quality
14emergency operations plans so that such plans are consistent
15with the bill’s provisions. The bill also requires school
16districts to revise the high-quality emergency operations plans
17on or before July 1, 2025, so that such plans are consistent
18with the bill’s provisions. These provisions take effect upon
19enactment.
-4-jda/jh
2student access during instructional hours and school safety
3plans, and including effective date provisions.
4BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 256.9, Code 2025, is amended by adding
2the following new subsection:
3 NEW SUBSECTION. 69. Develop and distribute to school
4districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and
5innovation zone schools model policies that, if adopted, would
6satisfy the school district’s, charter school’s, or innovation
7zone school’s responsibilities under section 279.87 relating to
8policies governing student use of personal electronic devices.
9 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 279.87 Limitation on the use of
10personal electronic devices.
111. Commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 2025,
12the board of directors of each school district shall adopt
13policies regarding student use of personal electronic devices
14during school hours that restrict student use of such devices
15during classroom instructional time. The policies must meet
16all of the following requirements:
17a. Identify policies and information related to various
18educational devices and technologies that will be made
19available to students for instructional purposes.
20b. Identify the methods that a parent or guardian of
21a student may use to communicate with the student during
22school hours or while the student is participating in a
23school-sponsored activity.
24c. Identify the methods that a parent or guardian of a
25student may use to communicate with the student during an
26emergency situation.
27d. Include protocols that the school district will use to
28securely store a student’s personal electronic device when such
29device is in the possession of the school district.
30e. Specify the discipline associated with a student’s
31violation of the policies, including the discipline associated
32with a student’s use of a personal electronic device during
33classroom instruction or during the administration of an
34assessment.
35f. Establish a process through which a student’s parent
-1-1or guardian may petition the school district to allow the
2student to maintain access to the student’s personal electronic
3device during the portion of the school day in which classroom
4instructional time is delivered if the student’s parent or
5guardian can establish that there is a legitimate reason
6related to the student’s physical or mental health for the
7student to maintain access to the device during such time.
8g. Allow a student who has an individualized education
9program, or a plan under section 504 of the federal
10Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C. §794, to maintain access to the
11student’s personal electronic device during the portion of the
12school day in which classroom instructional time is delivered
13if the student’s individualized education program, or plan
14under section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C.
15§794, requires the student to maintain such access.
162. The board of directors of a school district may adopt
17policies that limit student use of personal electronic devices
18during school hours, including the use of such devices during
19classroom instructional time, that are more stringent than the
20model policies developed and distributed by the director of the
21department of education pursuant to section 256.9, subsection
2269.
233. For purposes of this section, “personal electronic
24device” includes but is not limited to electronic communication
25equipment, mobile phones, smart phones, video game devices, and
26portable media players.
274. The state board of education may adopt rules pursuant to
28chapter 17A to administer this section.
29 Sec. 3. REVISION OF HIGH-QUALITY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS
30PLANS.
311. The department of education and the department of public
32safety shall do all of the following:
33a. Consult regarding revisions that school districts need
34to make to high-quality emergency operations plans developed
35pursuant to section 280.30 to take into account the provisions
-2-1of section 279.87, as enacted by this Act, and revisions
2that accredited nonpublic schools may make to such plans to
3take into account policies regarding student use of personal
4electronic devices during school hours.
5b. Provide support and guidance to school districts
6regarding how to revise high-quality emergency operations
7plans developed pursuant to section 280.30 so that such plans
8are consistent with the provisions of section 279.87, as
9enacted by this Act, and provide similar support and guidance
10to accredited nonpublic schools that elect to adopt policies
11regarding student use of personal electronic devices during
12school hours.
132. On or before July 1, 2025, each school district shall
14revise the school district’s high-quality emergency operations
15plans developed pursuant to section 280.30 so that such plans
16are consistent with the provisions of section 279.87, as
17enacted by this Act.
18 Sec. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. The following, being deemed of
19immediate importance, take effect upon enactment:
201. The section of this Act enacting section 279.87.
212. The section of this Act relating to the revision of
22high-quality emergency operations plans.
23EXPLANATION
24The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
25the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
26This bill relates to electronic devices in schools,
27including student access during instructional hours and school
28safety plans.
29Commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 2025,
30the bill requires school districts, charter schools, and
31innovation zone schools to adopt policies regarding student
32use of personal electronic devices during school hours. The
33bill establishes what the policies are to include. The bill
34requires the director of the department of education (DE) to
35develop and distribute to schools model policies that, if
-3-1adopted, would satisfy the school’s responsibilities under
2these provisions. However, schools may adopt policies that
3are more stringent than these model policies. The bill
4defines “personal electronic device” to include electronic
5communication equipment, mobile phones, smart phones, video
6game devices, and portable media players. These provisions
7take effect upon enactment.
8The bill requires DE and the department of public safety to
9consult regarding revisions that schools may need to make to
10high-quality emergency operations plans developed pursuant to
11Code section 280.30 to take into account the policies adopted
12pursuant to the bill’s provisions and to provide support and
13guidance to schools regarding how to revise high-quality
14emergency operations plans so that such plans are consistent
15with the bill’s provisions. The bill also requires school
16districts to revise the high-quality emergency operations plans
17on or before July 1, 2025, so that such plans are consistent
18with the bill’s provisions. These provisions take effect upon
19enactment.
-4-jda/jh