The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.North Carolina requires public school units to adopt cell phone-free education policies during instructional time
Last action · June 3, 2026: Ch. SL 2026-6Sponsors: Neal Jackson and 26 others
Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.
What This Bill Does
North Carolina public school governing bodies must adopt and enforce a policy to eliminate or severely restrict student access to cell phones during , starting with the 2025-2026 school year. Schools are also required to notify parents of enrolled students about the policy at the beginning of each school year.
Parents, students, and teachers in North Carolina public schools will experience altered daily classroom routines and communication rules, with schools mandated to restrict mobile device usage during instructional hours and notify families annually.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
public school units
Governing bodies of public school units must adopt and implement a cell phone-free education policy and provide annual notices to parents.
students enrolled in the public school unit
Students face eliminated or severely restricted access to cell phones during instructional time.
parents of all students enrolled in the public school unit
Parents must receive annual notifications regarding the adopted cell phone-free education policy at the start of each school year.
Key Facts
- Governing bodies of public school units must adopt a cell phone-free education policy to eliminate or severely restrict student access to cell phones during instructional time.
- Public school units must notify parents of all enrolled students of the adopted cell phone policy at the beginning of each school year.
- The act takes effect when it becomes law and applies beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the cell phone policy require public schools to do?
When do these school cell phone restrictions begin?
Are parents notified about the new cell phone policy?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
Follow the record
Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Became law over the governor's veto.
Procedural history
71 actions- Jun 3, 2026SenateVeto Overridden
- Jun 3, 2026SenatePlaced on Today's Calendar
- Jun 3, 2026SenateWithdrawn From Com
- May 20, 2026SenateRef To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
- May 20, 2026SenateVeto Received from House
- May 20, 2026HouseVeto Overridden
Show 65 earlier actions
- Apr 6, 2026HousePlaced On Cal For 04/21/2026
- Apr 6, 2026HouseWithdrawn From Cal
- Mar 9, 2026HousePlaced On Cal For 04/06/2026
- Mar 9, 2026HouseWithdrawn From Cal
- Feb 9, 2026HousePlaced On Cal For 03/09/2026
- Feb 9, 2026HouseWithdrawn From Cal
- Jan 12, 2026HousePlaced On Cal For 02/09/2026
- Jan 12, 2026HouseWithdrawn From Cal
- Dec 15, 2025HousePlaced On Cal For 01/12/2026
- Dec 15, 2025HouseWithdrawn From Cal
- Nov 17, 2025HousePlaced On Cal For 12/15/2025
- Nov 17, 2025HouseWithdrawn From Cal
- Oct 22, 2025HousePlaced On Cal For 11/17/2025
- Oct 22, 2025HouseWithdrawn From Cal
- Oct 20, 2025HousePlaced On Cal For 10/21/2025
- Oct 20, 2025HouseWithdrawn From Cal
- Sep 25, 2025HousePlaced On Cal For 10/20/2025
- Sep 25, 2025HouseWithdrawn From Com
- Sep 22, 2025HouseRe-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
- Sep 22, 2025HouseWithdrawn From Cal
- Aug 26, 2025HousePlaced On Cal For 09/22/2025
- Aug 6, 2025HouseReceived from the Governor
- Jul 30, 2025HouseOrdered Enrolled
- Jul 30, 2025HouseConcurred In S Com Sub
- Jul 29, 2025HousePlaced On Cal For 07/30/2025
- Jul 29, 2025HouseCal Pursuant 36(b)
- Jul 29, 2025HouseSpecial Message Received For Concurrence in S Com Sub
- Jul 29, 2025SenateSpecial Message Sent To House
- Jul 29, 2025SenateEngrossed
- Jul 29, 2025SenatePassed 3rd Reading
- Jul 29, 2025SenatePassed 2nd Reading
- Jul 29, 2025SenateAmend Tabled A9
- Jul 29, 2025SenateAmend Tabled A8
- Jul 29, 2025SenateAmend Tabled A7
- Jul 29, 2025SenateAmend Tabled A6
- Jul 29, 2025SenateAmend Tabled A5
- Jul 29, 2025SenateAmend Failed A3
- Jul 29, 2025SenateAmend Adopted A4
- Jul 29, 2025SenateAmend Failed A1
- Jul 29, 2025SenateAmend Adopted A2
- Jul 29, 2025SenatePlaced on Today's Calendar
- Jul 29, 2025SenateReptd Fav
- Jul 29, 2025SenateRe-ref Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
- Jul 29, 2025SenateCom Substitute Adopted
- Jul 29, 2025SenateReptd Fav Com Substitute
- Jul 24, 2025SenateRe-ref to Finance. If fav, re-ref to Rules and Operations of the Senate
- Jul 24, 2025SenateWithdrawn From Com
- Mar 26, 2025SenateRef To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
- Mar 26, 2025SenatePassed 1st Reading
- Mar 26, 2025SenateRegular Message Received From House
- Mar 26, 2025HouseRegular Message Sent To Senate
- Mar 25, 2025HouseOrdered Engrossed
- Mar 25, 2025HousePassed 3rd Reading
- Mar 25, 2025HousePassed 2nd Reading
- Mar 25, 2025HouseAmend Adopted A1
- Mar 24, 2025HousePlaced On Cal For 03/25/2025
- Mar 24, 2025HouseCal Pursuant Rule 36(b)
- Mar 24, 2025HouseReptd Fav
- Mar 18, 2025HouseRe-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
- Mar 18, 2025HouseReptd Fav
- Feb 25, 2025HouseRe-ref Com On Judiciary 3
- Feb 25, 2025HouseReptd Fav Com Substitute
- Feb 11, 2025HouseRef to the Com on Education - K-12, if favorable, Judiciary 3, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
- Feb 11, 2025HousePassed 1st Reading
- Feb 10, 2025HouseIntroducedFiled
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →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
Show 22 more sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Statewide Mandate for Classroom Device Restrictions
The legislation transitions cell phone regulation from discretionary local school board decisions to a mandatory statewide requirement for public school units.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.ncleg.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz45Current news / social attention level
Publisher tools