HB166 Summary

• Establishes the Freeing our Classrooms of Unnecessary Screens for Safety (FOCUS) Act, prohibiting students from using, operating, or possessing wireless communication devices during the instructional day beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, with exceptions for educational purposes, IEPs, and emergencies.

• Requires devices to be turned off and stored away from a student's person (in a locker, car, or similar location) during instructional time, with each local board of education adopting a wireless communication device policy by July 1, 2025, that includes consequences for violations.

• Mandates local boards of education adopt an Internet safety policy by July 1, 2025, addressing student access to school-owned devices, including age-appropriate content limits, email/chat protections, prohibition of social media except for teacher-directed educational use, and prevention of access to hacking or unlawfully obtained data.

• Requires the State Department of Education to develop an asynchronous social media safety course addressing risks (mental health effects, misinformation, addiction) and safe practices (identifying cyberbullying, phishing, predatory behavior, human trafficking prevention) that all students must complete before entering eighth grade.

• Establishes annual anonymous surveys of certificated staff to measure compliance with wireless communication device policies, with results submitted to local superintendents and the State Board of Education by June 1 annually for publication.