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Georgia bans personal electronic devices for K-8 students during school hours under new law
Original title: Distraction-Free Education Act; enact
Last action · May 9, 2025: House Date Signed by GovernorSponsors: Scott Hilton and 6 others
Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law
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Public stanceCommunity reactions are separate from the official record and reporting.
What This Bill Does
Beginning July 1, 2026, public school students in kindergarten through eighth grade in Georgia are prohibited from accessing personal electronic devices during the school day. Local school systems must adopt compliance and storage policies by January 1, 2026, with exemptions provided for medical or educational plans.
Why it matters
Parents must contact schools directly for emergencies instead of calling students directly, and students face progressive disciplinary consequences including device confiscation if rules are broken.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Directly affected
public school students in kindergarten through grade eight
Students are prohibited from accessing personal electronic devices during the school day and face progressive disciplinary consequences for violations.
Directly affected
parents and guardians
Parents must contact the school directly for communication during the school day instead of reaching out to students directly.
Directly affected
local school systems and public schools
Local school systems and public schools must adopt policies, establish storage methods, and enforce compliance rules by January 1, 2026.
Key Facts
- Public school students in kindergarten through grade eight are prohibited from accessing personal electronic devices during the school day starting July 1, 2026.
- Local school systems and public schools must adopt local policies and procedures by January 1, 2026.
- Policies must include storage methods such as lockers, locked pouches, or designated classroom areas.
- Emergency communications must go through school communication management systems, requiring parents to contact the school directly.
Show all 8 facts
- Students violating the policy are subject to progressive consequences including verbal warnings, device confiscation, and parental notification.
- Students with an Individualized Education Program, Section 504 Plan, or medical plan requiring a device are exempt.
- The Department of Education must provide guidance and technical support for implementing the measure.
- The provisions cannot be waived under strategic waivers, charter systems, charter schools, or completion special schools.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which students are affected by the device ban?
Public school students in kindergarten through eighth grade receiving instruction on a school campus.
How should parents contact their children during the school day?
Parents or guardians must contact the school directly to facilitate communication through school emergency communication management systems.
Are there any exceptions for students who need devices for medical reasons?
Yes. Students whose , Section 504 Plan, or medical plan explicitly mandates device use are permitted access.
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
15 actions- Jul 1, 2025Georgia General AssemblyEffective Date
- May 9, 2025HouseEnrolledHouse Date Signed by Governor
- May 9, 2025GovernorEnrolledAct 74
- Apr 7, 2025HouseHouse Sent to Governor
- Mar 25, 2025SenateSenate Third Read
- Mar 25, 2025SenateFloorSenate Passed/Adopted
Show 9 earlier actions
- Mar 21, 2025SenateSenate Read Second Time
- Mar 20, 2025SenateCommitteeSenate Committee Favorably Reported
- Mar 6, 2025SenateIntroducedSenate Read and Referred
- Mar 4, 2025HouseHouse Third Readers
- Mar 4, 2025HouseFloorHouse Passed/Adopted By Substitute
- Feb 26, 2025HouseCommitteeHouse Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
- Feb 11, 2025HouseHouse Second Readers
- Feb 10, 2025HouseIntroducedHouse First Readers
- Feb 6, 2025HouseIntroducedHouse Hopper
Version history & redline
6 versions on fileComparing LC 49 2284S/hcs → HB 340/AP*
removed addedOfficial text
25 LC 49 removed: 2284S
added: 2284S/AP
House Bill 340 removed: (COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE)
added: (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE)
By: Representatives Hilton of the 48th , Jones of the 47th , Gaines of the 120th , Rice of the 139th ,
Barrett of
[…]
Redline computed from the official version text (record lane).View this version →
Voting Record
ADOPTION OF AMEND #1A BY SEN FROM THE 7TH TO AMEND #1 BY SEN FROM THE 7TH
Total
51
- Yes
- 21
- No
- 29
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 1
- Abstain
- 0
How they voted (51)
Doc RhettParty not recordedyes
Shawn StillParty not recordedno
Ben WatsonParty not recordedno
Lee AndersonParty not recordedno
Emanuel JonesParty not recordedyes
Nan OrrockParty not recordedyes
Clint DixonParty not recordedno
Frank GinnParty not recordedno
Gail DavenportParty not recordedyes
Bill CowsertParty not recordedno
Randy RobertsonParty not recordedno
Derek MallowParty not recordedyes
Randal ManghamParty not recordedyes
RaShaun KempParty not recordedyes
Drew EcholsParty not recordedno
John AlbersParty not recordedno
Sonya HalpernParty not recordedyes
Greg DolezalParty not recordedno
Rick WilliamsParty not recordedno
Kim JacksonParty not recordedyes
Chuck HufstetlerParty not recordedno
Max BurnsParty not recordedyes
Nikki MerrittParty not recordedyes
Freddie Powell SimsParty not recordedno
27 more members
Josh McLaurinParty not recordedyes
Harold JonesParty not recordedyes
Brian StricklandParty not recordedno
Sally HarrellParty not recordedyes
Carden SummersParty not recordedno
Donzella JamesParty not recordedyes
Elena ParentParty not recordedyes
Ed HarbisonParty not recordedyes
Sam WatsonParty not recordedno
Marty HarbinParty not recordedno
David LucasParty not recordedyes
Chuck PayneParty not recordedno
Bo HatchettParty not recordedno
Kenya WicksParty not recordedyes
Steve GoochParty not recordedno
Billy HickmanParty not recordedno
Matt BrassParty not recordedno
Tonya AndersonParty not recordedyes
Sheikh RahmanParty not recordedyes
Kay KirkpatrickParty not recordedno
Jason AnavitarteParty not recordedno
Tim BeardenParty not recordedno
Larry WalkerParty not recordedno
Mike HodgesParty not recordedno
Ed SetzlerParty not recordedno
Russ GoodmanParty not recordedno
Blake TilleryParty not recordednot voting
Show 3 earlier roll calls
ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT #1 BY THE SENATOR FROM THE 7TH
Total
51
- Yes
- 13
- No
- 36
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 2
- Abstain
- 0
How they voted (51)
Chuck PayneParty not recordedno
Nikki MerrittParty not recordedyes
John AlbersParty not recordedno
Elena ParentParty not recordedno
Rick WilliamsParty not recordedno
Sally HarrellParty not recordedyes
Jason AnavitarteParty not recordedno
Gail DavenportParty not recordedyes
Marty HarbinParty not recordedno
Kay KirkpatrickParty not recordedno
Tim BeardenParty not recordedno
David LucasParty not recordednot voting
Clint DixonParty not recordedno
Shawn StillParty not recordedno
Nan OrrockParty not recordedno
Lee AndersonParty not recordedno
Max BurnsParty not recordedno
Ed HarbisonParty not recordedyes
Larry WalkerParty not recordedno
Chuck HufstetlerParty not recordedno
Frank GinnParty not recordedno
Bill CowsertParty not recordedno
Kim JacksonParty not recordedno
Ben WatsonParty not recordedno
27 more members
Sheikh RahmanParty not recordedyes
Kenya WicksParty not recordedno
Randy RobertsonParty not recordedno
Greg DolezalParty not recordedyes
Drew EcholsParty not recordedno
Tonya AndersonParty not recordedyes
Bo HatchettParty not recordedno
Billy HickmanParty not recordedno
Mike HodgesParty not recordedno
Randal ManghamParty not recordedyes
Russ GoodmanParty not recordedno
Carden SummersParty not recordedno
Blake TilleryParty not recordednot voting
Steve GoochParty not recordedno
Harold JonesParty not recordedyes
Josh McLaurinParty not recordedyes
Ed SetzlerParty not recordedno
RaShaun KempParty not recordedno
Emanuel JonesParty not recordedno
Derek MallowParty not recordedyes
Freddie Powell SimsParty not recordedno
Brian StricklandParty not recordedno
Donzella JamesParty not recordedyes
Doc RhettParty not recordedyes
Matt BrassParty not recordedno
Sam WatsonParty not recordedno
Sonya HalpernParty not recordedno
PASSAGE
Total
51
- Yes
- 50
- No
- 1
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 0
- Abstain
- 0
How they voted (51)
Chuck HufstetlerParty not recordedyes
Sonya HalpernParty not recordedyes
Sheikh RahmanParty not recordedyes
RaShaun KempParty not recordedyes
Ed SetzlerParty not recordedyes
David LucasParty not recordedyes
Blake TilleryParty not recordedyes
Doc RhettParty not recordedyes
Bill CowsertParty not recordedyes
Josh McLaurinParty not recordedyes
John AlbersParty not recordedyes
Steve GoochParty not recordedyes
Randal ManghamParty not recordedyes
Carden SummersParty not recordedyes
Greg DolezalParty not recordedno
Sam WatsonParty not recordedyes
Marty HarbinParty not recordedyes
Gail DavenportParty not recordedyes
Emanuel JonesParty not recordedyes
Derek MallowParty not recordedyes
Lee AndersonParty not recordedyes
Chuck PayneParty not recordedyes
Nikki MerrittParty not recordedyes
Kay KirkpatrickParty not recordedyes
27 more members
Nan OrrockParty not recordedyes
Ed HarbisonParty not recordedyes
Rick WilliamsParty not recordedyes
Frank GinnParty not recordedyes
Larry WalkerParty not recordedyes
Bo HatchettParty not recordedyes
Shawn StillParty not recordedyes
Donzella JamesParty not recordedyes
Billy HickmanParty not recordedyes
Max BurnsParty not recordedyes
Kenya WicksParty not recordedyes
Tim BeardenParty not recordedyes
Clint DixonParty not recordedyes
Sally HarrellParty not recordedyes
Randy RobertsonParty not recordedyes
Russ GoodmanParty not recordedyes
Harold JonesParty not recordedyes
Freddie Powell SimsParty not recordedyes
Brian StricklandParty not recordedyes
Ben WatsonParty not recordedyes
Mike HodgesParty not recordedyes
Tonya AndersonParty not recordedyes
Jason AnavitarteParty not recordedyes
Matt BrassParty not recordedyes
Elena ParentParty not recordedyes
Kim JacksonParty not recordedyes
Drew EcholsParty not recordedyes
PASSAGE
Total
174
- Yes
- 138
- No
- 29
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 2
- Abstain
- 0
- Other positions
- 5
How they voted (174)
Beth CampParty not recordedyes
Shea RobertsParty not recordedyes
Rick JasperseParty not recordedyes
Brad ThomasParty not recordedyes
Jesse PetreaParty not recordedyes
Carl GilliardParty not recordedyes
Michael SmithParty not recordedno
Jasmine ClarkParty not recordedno
Jason RidleyParty not recordedno
Billy MitchellParty not recordedyes
Robert FlournoyParty not recordedno
Noel WilliamsParty not recordedyes
John LaHoodParty not recordedyes
Scott HiltonParty not recordedyes
Chuck MartinParty not recordedyes
Mack JacksonParty not recordedyes
Debbie BucknerParty not recordedyes
Chuck EfstrationParty not recordedyes
Joseph GullettParty not recordedyes
Terry CummingsParty not recordedyes
Karlton HowardParty not recordedyes
Lee HawkinsParty not recordedyes
Kimberly AlexanderParty not recordedno
Lynn SmithParty not recordedyes
150 more members
Edna JacksonParty not recordedyes
Katie DempseyParty not recordedyes
Carter BarrettParty not recordedyes
Martin MomtahanParty not recordedyes
Miriam ParisParty not recordedyes
Derrick JacksonParty not recordedno
Steven MeeksParty not recordedyes
Lisa CampbellParty not recordedno
Spencer FryeParty not recordedno
Dale WashburnParty not recordedyes
Rob CliftonParty not recordedyes
Jutt HowardParty not recordedyes
Viola DavisParty not recordedyes
Charlice ByrdParty not recordedno
Leesa HaganParty not recordedyes
Stan GunterParty not recordedyes
Matthew GambillParty not recordedyes
Rick TownsendParty not recordedyes
Mitchell ScogginsParty not recordedyes
Sylvia Wayfer BakerParty not recordedyes
Ginny EhrhartParty not recordedyes
Lehman FranklinParty not recordedyes
Marvin LimParty not recordedno
James BurchettParty not recordedyes
Mary Frances WilliamsParty not recordedno
Derrick McCollumParty not recordedyes
Jon BurnsParty not recordednot voting
Long TranParty not recordedyes
Omari CrawfordParty not recordedyes
David HuddlestonParty not recordedyes
Gabe OkoyeParty not recordedno
Esther PanitchParty not recordedyes
Mary Margaret OliverParty not recordedexcused
Joe CampbellParty not recordedyes
Sandy DonatucciParty not recordedyes
Kimberly NewParty not recordedyes
Holt PersingerParty not recordedyes
Nissa JonesParty not recordedyes
Johnny ChastainParty not recordedyes
Patty Marie StinsonParty not recordedexcused
David ClarkParty not recordedyes
Angela MooreParty not recordedno
Gerald GreeneParty not recordedyes
Gary RichardsonParty not recordedyes
Michelle AuParty not recordedexcused
Devan SeabaughParty not recordedyes
Rhonda TaylorParty not recordedno
Don ParsonsParty not recordedyes
Todd JonesParty not recordedyes
Regina Lewis-WardParty not recordedyes
Deborah SilcoxParty not recordedyes
Vance SmithParty not recordedyes
Bruce WilliamsonParty not recordedyes
Phil OlaleyeParty not recordedyes
Karen LuptonParty not recordedyes
John CorbettParty not recordedyes
Alan PowellParty not recordedyes
Segun AdeyinaParty not recordedyes
Yasmin NealParty not recordedno
Saira DraperParty not recordedyes
Eric BellParty not recordedyes
Ruwa RommanParty not recordedyes
Bill HitchensParty not recordedyes
Robert DickeyParty not recordedyes
Rob LeverettParty not recordedyes
Rhonda BurnoughParty not recordedno
Karen MathiakParty not recordedyes
Robert DawsonParty not recordedyes
David WilkersonParty not recordedno
Bethany BallardParty not recordedyes
Clint CroweParty not recordedyes
Karla DrennerParty not recordedno
Danny MathisParty not recordedyes
Chas CannonParty not recordedyes
Darlene TaylorParty not recordedyes
Bryce BerryParty not recordedno
Dewey McClainParty not recordedexcused
Trey RhodesParty not recordedyes
Park CannonParty not recordedno
Sheila JonesParty not recordedno
Noelle KahaianParty not recordedno
Emory DunahooParty not recordedyes
Trey KelleyParty not recordedyes
Butch ParrishParty not recordedyes
Matt ReevesParty not recordedyes
Doreen CarterParty not recordedyes
Betsy HollandParty not recordednot voting
Mark NewtonParty not recordedyes
Matt HatchettParty not recordedyes
Jan JonesParty not recordedyes
Mary Ann SantosParty not recordedno
Kasey CarpenterParty not recordedyes
Inga WillisParty not recordedyes
Carolyn HugleyParty not recordedyes
Tangie HerringParty not recordedyes
Imani BarnesParty not recordedexcused
Steve TarvinParty not recordedyes
Lydia GlaizeParty not recordedyes
Houston GainesParty not recordedyes
L.C. MylesParty not recordedyes
Carmen RiceParty not recordedyes
Kim SchofieldParty not recordedno
David JenkinsParty not recordedyes
Shaw BlackmonParty not recordedyes
Brent CoxParty not recordedyes
Tyler SmithParty not recordedyes
Eddie LumsdenParty not recordedyes
Solomon AdesanyaParty not recordedyes
Buddy DeLoachParty not recordedyes
Anne WestbrookParty not recordedyes
Debra BazemoreParty not recordedyes
Sharon CooperParty not recordedyes
Will WadeParty not recordedyes
Tanya MillerParty not recordedno
John CarsonParty not recordedyes
Demetrius DouglasParty not recordedyes
Mekyah McQueenParty not recordedno
Floyd GriffinParty not recordedyes
Teddy ReeseParty not recordedyes
Sharon HendersonParty not recordedyes
Brian PrinceParty not recordedyes
Mike CheokasParty not recordedyes
Matt BartonParty not recordedyes
Al WilliamsParty not recordedyes
Chris ErwinParty not recordedyes
Bill YeartaParty not recordedyes
Mitchell HornerParty not recordedyes
Tim FlemingParty not recordedyes
Gabriel SanchezParty not recordedno
Rey MartinezParty not recordedyes
Lauren McDonaldParty not recordedyes
Arlene BecklesParty not recordedyes
Steven SainzParty not recordedyes
El-Mahdi HollyParty not recordedno
Mike CameronParty not recordedyes
Jaclyn FordParty not recordedyes
David SampsonParty not recordedyes
Sam ParkParty not recordedyes
Ron StephensParty not recordedyes
Sandra ScottParty not recordedyes
Scott HolcombParty not recordedyes
Dar'shun KendrickParty not recordedyes
Josh BonnerParty not recordedyes
Angie O'SteenParty not recordedyes
Matt DubnikParty not recordedyes
Jordan RidleyParty not recordedno
Bill WerkheiserParty not recordedyes
Soo HongParty not recordedyes
Stacey EvansParty not recordedyes
Victor AndersonParty not recordedyes
Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
policy shift99% confidence
Mandatory Statewide K-8 Device Restriction
Shifts rule-setting authority from individual local discretion to a mandated statewide prohibition on personal electronic devices during instructional time.
Connected Entities
OrganizationDepartment of Education“State agency tasked with providing guidance and technical support”Map →
Sources
Open source document
www.legis.ga.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance85How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy45Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz60Current news / social attention level
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