Bill
HB 2964
Illinois bill makes districts adopt mandatory cell-phone policies for students, restricting use during school, with emergency and IEP/504 exemptions.
Note: The documents provided under the single bill number “HB 2964” appear to include two different state bills with the same number: (A) an Arizona capital outlay appropriations bill for FY2026, and (B) an Illinois school code amendment concerning student use of cellular devices. Summaries for both are provided below.
Purpose
- Make capital outlay appropriations for FY2025‑2026 across multiple state agencies and provide for review and reporting of capital projects.
Key provisions and dollar amounts
- Reductions/reversions to Arizona State Parks Board projects (amounts revert to state parks revenue fund), including:
- Dead Horse Ranch amphitheater: $(210,000)
- Southern construction services relocation: $(2,000,000)
- Multiple statewide water conservation/campground/sunshade/renovation projects: reductions ranging from $(1,339,000) to $(5,945,000)
- Building renewal (major maintenance/repair) appropriations for FY2025‑2026:
- Department of Administration: $19,000,000 (capital outlay stabilization fund). DOA may allocate to agencies and may use funds for retrofitting related to space consolidation.
- State Department of Corrections: $5,864,300 (DOC building renewal fund). DOC cannot use these funds for personal services or overhead.
- Arizona Game & Fish: $1,815,700 (game and fish fund)
- Arizona State Lottery Commission: $218,200 (state lottery fund)
- Department of Transportation (building renewal): $22,540,100 (state highway fund $22,145,300; state aviation fund $394,800)
- Department of Transportation — statewide highway construction:
- $458,770,000 (state highway fund). Any excess balances/collections in the state highway fund are appropriated for these purposes.
- Multiple reporting requirements to legislative budget staff and governor’s budget office (see below).
- Appropriation not subject to joint committee on capital review (JCCR) review for this section.
- Department of Transportation — airport planning and development:
- $44,340,700 (state aviation fund). Excess aviation fund balances/collections also appropriated for these purposes.
Reporting and oversight requirements
- Arizona State Parks Board must report by Sept 1, 2025 to the Joint Committee on Capital Review identifying which July 2022-approved projects will be prioritized for FY2025‑2026 and proposed funding levels.
- DOT must submit multiple reports by Nov 1, 2025 (actual/estimated construction expenses, capital outlay info for FY24‑25 through FY26‑27, estimated outstanding debt and debt service through FY29‑30) and an aviation grant status report by Dec 31, 2025.
Who is affected
- State agencies (DOA, DOC, DOT, Game & Fish, State Parks, Lottery), contractors on capital projects, local governments/airport authorities that receive DOT grants, and park projects listed for reduction.
Procedural/timeline notes
- Appropriations and reporting tied to FY2025‑2026. Reductions revert to state parks revenue fund upon enactment.
Purpose
- Amend the School Code to require (change from permissive to mandatory) that school boards adopt rules and disciplinary procedures governing student possession/use of cellular radio telecommunication devices, including restricting use during instructional time.
Key provisions
- Amendments to 105 ILCS 5/10‑20.28 and 5/34‑18.14:
- Replace “may” with “shall” so a school board must establish appropriate rules and disciplinary procedures on student use/possession of cellular devices while in school or on school property and may restrict use during instructional time.
- Explicitly allow school boards to create exceptions, including:
- School‑based emergencies
- Individual student and family emergencies
- Accommodations required by an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 plan
- Teacher discretion
Who is affected
- Illinois public school districts and school boards (required to adopt policy), K‑12 students and families, teachers (discretionary enforcement), and students with IEP/504 plans (protected exceptions).
Potential impacts
- Moves from local permissive policymaking to a statutory obligation for districts to adopt phone/device policies, likely increasing consistency that districts must act.
- Preserves flexibility by allowing exceptions for emergencies and disability accommodations and teacher discretion.
- Could reduce classroom distractions and influence district disciplinary procedures and communication practices.
Procedural/timeline / status (Illinois)
- Filed: Feb 6, 2025 (Rep. Tracy Katz Muhl).
- Committee hearings and subcommittee consideration in March–May 2025.
- Passed both chambers (dates in June 2025), transmitted to the governor, but vetoed by the governor on June 25, 2025 (per the actions listed). Final status: vetoed.
If you want, I can:
- Produce a side‑by‑side comparison of the two texts and their likely administrative impacts; or
- Draft a one‑page briefing tailored for a school superintendent or a state budget analyst.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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