PRINTER'S NO. 2605
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
2043
Session of
2024
INTRODUCED BY GLEIM, DIAMOND, BANTA, KEEFER, D'ORSIE, ZIMMERMAN,
GILLEN AND STAATS, FEBRUARY 20, 2024
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, FEBRUARY 20, 2024
AN ACT
Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
act relating to the public school system, including certain
provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
laws relating thereto," in pupils and attendance, providing
for possession and use of mobile devices.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
section to read:
Section 1317.4. Possession and Use of Mobile Devices .--(a)
Except as otherwise provided in this section, a student of a
public school entity may not possess or use a mobile device
during the school day in a school building of the public school
entity.
(b) (1) Upon entering the school building at the beginning
of the school day, a student who has in the student's possession
a mobile device shall deposit the mobile device in a lockbox,
case or pouch with a locking mechanism or other secure location
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for the duration of the school day.
(2) At the end of the school day, the student may retrieve
the mobile device from the lockbox, case, pouch or other secure
location.
(c) Subsections (a) and (b) shall not apply to a student if:
(1) The student:
(i) is a member of a volunteer fire company, ambulance or
rescue squad;
(ii) has a need for the mobile device due to the medical
condition of the student or an immediate family member of the
student;
(iii) has a disability;
(iv) is an English language learner and uses the mobile
device for translation purposes; or
(v) is at a scheduled lunch period.
(2) An authority of the public school entity approves of the
possession and use of the mobile device by the student during
the school day in a school building of the public school entity.
(d) A public school entity shall develop or update its
written policies to implement this section. The written policies
shall include a process for students and parents to contact each
other during the school day.
(e) As used in this section, the following words and phrases
shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection:
"Mobile device" means a personal mobile telephone or other
portable electronic communication device, not owned by a public
school entity or issued by a public school entity to a student,
with which a user engages in a call or writes or sends a message
or a device in which the user plays a game or watches a video.
"Public school entity" means a school district, area career
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and technical school, intermediate unit, charter school, cyber
charter school or regional charter school .
"School day" means the length of time that a child subject to
compulsory school attendance is expected to be receiving
instruction during a calendar day, as determined by the
governing body.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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