TX HB1258

School districts and open-enrollment charter schools are required to adopt policies prohibiting students from possessing personal communication devices on school property during the school day, including during lunch, recess, passing periods, and free periods

Students who bring devices to school must turn them off and store them in designated storage lockers; non-compliant students will have devices confiscated and returned only to a parent or guardian at the end of the school day

Schools may charge parents or guardians an administrative fee of up to $15 before releasing a confiscated device, and schools are not liable for damage, loss, or theft of confiscated devices

Exceptions must be provided for students with individualized education programs (IEPs), Section 504 plans, documented medical needs from a physician, or other legal requirements

"Personal communication device" broadly includes smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, wearable health trackers, earbuds, headphones, paging devices, and handheld video game consoles, but excludes school-provided devices and licensed amateur radios