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| 6 | | - | $tate of utennessee |
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| 7 | | - | PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 103 |
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| 8 | | - | HOUSE BILL NO. 932 |
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| 9 | | - | By Representatives Alexander, White, Howell, Slater, Cepicky, Hemmer, Renea Jones, |
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| 10 | | - | McCalmon, Zachary, Brock Martin, Williams, Tim Hicks, Gary Hicks, Vital, Travis, |
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| 11 | | - | Burkhart, Atchley, Raper, Hakeem, Maberry, Eldridge, Reeves, Lamberth, Davis, Terry, |
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| 12 | | - | Helton-Haynes, Hale, Bricken, Sparks, Stinnett, Wright, Marsh, Hawk, Sherrell, |
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| 13 | | - | Scarbrough, Hurt, Kumar,-Hardaway, Barrett, Todd, Reedy, Glynn |
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| 14 | | - | Substituted for: Senate Bill No. 897 |
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| 15 | | - | By Senators Haile, Yager, Bailey, Bowling, Crowe, Hensley, Massey, Powers, Reeves, |
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| 16 | | - | Rose, Stevens, Walley |
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| 17 | | - | AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, relative to communication |
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| 18 | | - | devices at schools. |
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| 1 | + | |
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| 2 | + | HOUSE BILL 932 |
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| 3 | + | By Alexander |
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| 4 | + | |
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| 5 | + | SENATE BILL 897 |
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| 6 | + | By Haile |
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| 7 | + | |
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| 8 | + | |
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| 9 | + | SB0897 |
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| 10 | + | 002917 |
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| 11 | + | - 1 - |
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| 12 | + | |
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| 13 | + | AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, |
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| 14 | + | relative to communication devices at schools. |
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| 15 | + | |
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| 19 | 16 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE: |
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| 20 | 17 | | SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 3, is amended by |
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| 21 | 18 | | adding the following as a new section: |
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| 22 | 19 | | (a) As used in this section, "wireless communication device" means a portable |
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| 23 | 20 | | wireless device that has the capability to provide voice, messaging, or other data |
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| 24 | 21 | | communication between two (2) or more parties, including, but not limited to: |
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| 25 | 22 | | (1) Cellular telephones; |
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| 26 | 23 | | (2) Tablet computers; |
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| 27 | 24 | | (3) Laptop computers; and |
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| 28 | 25 | | (4) Gaming devices. |
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| 29 | 26 | | (b) Each local board of education and each public charter school governing body |
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| 30 | 27 | | shall adopt and implement a wireless communication device policy that: |
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| 31 | 28 | | (1) Except as provided in subdivisions (b)(2)-(4), prohibits a student from |
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| 32 | 29 | | using a wireless communication device during instructional time; |
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| 33 | 30 | | (2) Authorizes a teacher to allow a student to use a wireless |
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| 34 | 31 | | communication device for educational purposes during instructional time; |
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| 41 | | - | (i) Individualized education program under the Individuals |
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| 42 | | - | with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq.); |
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| 43 | | - | (ii) Active 504 plan developed under Section 504 of the |
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| 44 | | - | Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. § 794); or |
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| 45 | | - | (iii) Individual learning plan; or HB932 |
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| 46 | | - | (B) The wireless communication device is being used by a student |
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| 47 | | - | with a disability for the operation of assistive technology to increase, |
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| 48 | | - | maintain, or improve the student's functional capabilities; and |
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| 41 | + | (A) Individualized education program under the Individuals with |
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| 42 | + | Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq.); or |
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| 43 | + | (B) Active 504 plan developed under Section 504 of the |
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| 44 | + | Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. § 794); and |
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| 49 | 45 | | (5) Establishes a process by which parents or guardians of students will |
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| 50 | 46 | | be contacted in the event of an emergency or possible emergency occurring at |
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| 51 | 47 | | the school at which the parent's student is enrolled to ensure that the absence of, |
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| 52 | 48 | | or restricted access to, wireless communication devices during the school day |
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| 53 | 49 | | does not prevent parents from receiving notice of an emergency or possible |
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| 54 | 50 | | emergency. |
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| 55 | 51 | | (c) Each LEA and public charter school shall publish the wireless communication |
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| 56 | 52 | | device policy established pursuant to subsection (b) on its website. |
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| 57 | 53 | | SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-4002, is amended by deleting |
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| 58 | 54 | | subsection (h) and substituting: |
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| 59 | 55 | | (h) A discipline policy or code of conduct adopted by a local board of education |
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| 60 | 56 | | or public charter school governing body may authorize a teacher to withhold a student's |
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| 61 | 57 | | wireless communication device from the student for the duration of the instructional time |
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| 62 | 58 | | if the student is noncompliant with the LEA's or public charter school's wireless |
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| 63 | 59 | | communication device policy adopted pursuant to Section 1. As used in this subsection |
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| 64 | 60 | | (h), "wireless communication device" has the same meaning as defined in Section 1. |
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| 65 | 61 | | SECTION 3. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it, and |
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| 66 | 62 | | applies to the 2025-2026 school year and each school year thereafter. |
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