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Bill

SB 1459

Relating to public school policies regarding student possession of personal communication devices and Internet safety.

89th Legislature (2025) Introduced by Donna Campbell

SB 1459 grants Texas schools authority to restrict personal device use during instruction and establishes internet safety standards for student online activity.

Left pending in committee
#educationagency #texas(v9941) #email&electroniccommunications(s0321) #education--primary&secondary--charterschools(i0245) #education--primary&secondary--general(i0230) #education--primary&secondary--special(i0243) #education--schooldistricts(i0220) #electronicinformationsystems(i0311) #minors--health&safety(i0533) #telephones&telephonedirectories(s5657)
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Bill Summary · SB 1459

Legislative bill overview

SB 1459 establishes policies governing student possession and use of personal communication devices (primarily cell phones) in Texas public schools and addresses internet safety standards. The bill appears to authorize school districts to implement restrictions on device usage during instructional time and sets parameters for how schools manage digital safety.

Why is this important

Cell phone policies in schools directly affect learning environments, student behavior, and parental communication access. As districts nationwide grapple with phone distractions and cyberbullying, this bill provides a statewide framework that could significantly impact daily school operations and student-parent connectivity during the school day.

Potential points of contention

  • Parental communication access: Restrictions that limit student phone access may conflict with parents' ability to reach children during emergencies or disciplinary situations
  • Equity and enforcement: Policies must clarify how restrictions apply across socioeconomic groups and ensure consistent enforcement without creating disparate discipline outcomes
  • Internet safety vs. privacy: The bill's internet safety provisions may require monitoring or filtering that raises concerns about student digital privacy and surveillance scope
  • Implementation burden: Schools may lack resources or technical capacity to uniformly enforce device policies across diverse student populations
  • Age-appropriate flexibility: The bill needs to address whether restrictions should differ between elementary and secondary students

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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