Day 10: 9-12 Cell Phone Ban, Weapons Detection Requirement, Completion Special School, and Other Education Bills Move Forward
- Josh Stephens
- 11 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Though Legislative Day 10 did not include education bills on the House or Senate floor, it did see plenty of school-related action by House Education subcommittees. The subcommittees considered several education bills, including HB 1009, PAGE-supported legislation that would extend existing K-8 bell-to-bell bans on student mobile phones and personal devices to grades 9-12.
Subcommittee Approves PAGE-Supported Ban on Cell Phones in Grades 9-12
HB 1009 by Rep. Scott Hilton (R-Peachtree Corners), a PAGE-supported bill to ban student use of cell phones and other electronic devices from bell-to-bell in grades 9-12, beginning in the 2027-2028 school year, was approved unanimously by the subcommittee. Students participating in dual enrollment, work-based learning, or apprenticeship programs not occurring on school grounds are excluded from the ban. E-readers are also removed from the list of prohibited devices, as many do not have two-way communication capabilities and are sometimes used in classrooms. Hilton reported that of the 25 other states that ban devices in schools, Georgia is the only state that does not ban devices in high school grades. Of the 25 states with bans, 20 have bell-to-bell bans, and those that do not are pursuing change. House Education Committee Chair Chris Erwin (R-Homer) pointed out that the bell-to-bell provision is necessary to help prevent fights and bullying that occur when electronic devices are available during instructional breaks. Hilton also shared feedback from a study committee hearing last year at which Grant Rivera, superintendent of Marietta City Schools, noted that the district has seen grades and test scores improve, fights decrease, and increased peer-to-peer interaction among students.
Several subcommittee members shared concerns about school safety, particularly how students and parents can communicate in an emergency. As part of HB 340 (2025), which bans devices in grades K-8, schools are required to include clear communication protocols with parents and guardians in their school safety plans in the event of an emergency. Hilton shared that, during his discussions with school safety experts, he was told that student phone calls often jam crucial communication lines for emergency responders. It is also imperative for students to listen to instructions rather than use their phones.
PAGE Director of Legislative Services Margaret Ciccarelli shared PAGE’s strong support for the bill in her testimony, citing both a fall 2025 PAGE member survey and a survey conducted by Georgia Southern University of over 3,000 educators, which show overwhelming support for the ban and strong support for their school’s safety plans, amongst other findings. Highlights from the Georgia Southern Survey include:
State School Superintendent Richard Woods spoke in support of HB 1009, citing data collected by the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) that aligns with PAGE and other groups' findings. He urged school districts to build strong reunification processes into their school safety plans so parents and guardians know how to handle emergency situations with their children. He also encouraged teachers and school leaders to “practice what they preach” by not using their devices during instructional time.
The subcommittee also heard HB 971 by Rep. Rick Townsend (R-Brunswick), which allows homeschool and private school students to enroll in college and career academies if they reside in the same RESA district as the academy, or if they live in a neighboring school district adjoining the college and career academy, even if the neighboring system is not in the same RESA. School districts would opt in to the bill. The legislation passed with one abstention.
HB 1009 and HB 971 now move to the full House Education Committee for consideration.
Weapons Detectors, Completion Special Schools, & NIL Legislation Approved in House Subcommittee
The House Education Policy and Innovation Subcommittee approved the following bills, which all move forward to House Ed for consideration:
HB 907 by Rep. Jan Jones (R-Milton) requires local school systems located within the attendance zone of a completion special school to either enter into a collaborative operating agreement with the school or provide educational programs and services for students in grades 9–12, including dropout prevention, academic intervention, credit recovery, and flexible scheduling options. The bill also requires local systems within 20 school days to provide completion special schools with the name, last known address, and telephone number of students who fail to attend school for 10 consecutive days or who withdraw, excluding students who have graduated or whose parents have notified the system of enrollment elsewhere.
HB 1023 by Rep. Chuck Efstration (R-Mulberry) would require at least one weapon detection system at the main entry points of school buildings. The requirement does not apply to entry points that are locked, alarmed, and not intended for student use. Districts could use current school safety funding or any other funding sources to purchase the equipment. Schools would have to have these systems installed for the next school year. Efstration said he does not intend for this requirement to become an unfunded mandate and will work to provide the required funding in the budget process. Rep. David Wilkerson (D-Powder Springs) expressed concern about the cost of requiring schools with multiple student-occupied buildings to install these systems and provide a staff member to monitor them. Cobb County Schools also shared concerns about the bill, citing large high school campuses in the district and the challenges posed when large numbers of students arrive at schools by bus. Multiple young students were present to express their support for the bill, as shown in the picture to the right. The bill passed with several dissenting votes, mostly on party lines.
HB 383 by Rep. Brent Cox (R-Dawsonville) would codify current Georgia High School Association (GHSA) regulations regarding student Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL). The bill would also make high school NIL contracts expire when the student leaves high school.
Register for PAGE Day on Capitol Hill Feb. 17
Please make your plans to join us for 2026 PAGE Day on Capitol Hill, in partnership with the Georgia Association of Educational Leaders (GAEL) and the Georgia Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (GACTE).
This free event will include breakfast, lunch, information sessions with key education-focused policymakers, advocacy opportunities under the Gold Dome, and a state school superintendent candidate forum.
Register and watch a brief informational video HERE.
Upcoming Schedule
Tuesday, Feb. 3 - Legislative Day 11
1 p.m., Senate Retirement Committee, 310 CLOB
2 p.m., Senate Education and Youth Committee, 307 CLOB
3 p.m., House Judiciary Non-Civil Subcommittee, 132 CAP
Wednesday, Feb. 4 - Legislative Day 12
Thursday, Feb. 5 - Legislative Day 13
1 p.m., Senate Education and Youth Committee, 307 CLOB
Friday, Feb. 6 - Legislative Day 14