Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of SB2427

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Full Text of SB2427 104th General Assembly

Introduced   Engrossed
Senate Amendment 001   House Amendment 001
Printer-Friendly Version  PDF  Bill Status

SB2427eng 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB2427 Engrossed LRB104 12240 LNS 22347 b

1     AN ACT concerning education.

2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:

4     Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Sections
5 10-20.88, 27A-5.3, and 34-18.14a as follows:

6     (105 ILCS 5/10-20.88 new)
7     Sec. 10-20.88. Wireless communication device policy.
8     (a) As used in this Section:
9     "Instructional time" means the time during a school day
10 students spend learning and participating in school
11 activities. "Instructional time" does not include recess,
12 passing time, or lunch time.
13     "Wireless communication device" means any portable
14 wireless device that has the capability to provide voice,
15 messaging, or other data communication between 2 or more
16 parties, including, but not limited to:
17         (1) cellular telephones;
18         (2) tablet computers;
19         (3) laptop computers;
20         (4) gaming devices; and
21         (5) wearable devices, including smart watches or smart
22     glasses.
23 "Wireless communication device" does not include any device

SB2427 Engrossed - 2 - LRB104 12240 LNS 22347 b

1 that a school district or teacher has directly issued to,
2 provided for, or required a student to possess and use for
3 educational purposes during instructional time.
4     (b) On or before the 2026-2027 school year, each school
5 board shall adopt and implement a wireless communication
6 device policy that:
7         (1) at a minimum, prohibits a student from using a
8     wireless communication device during instructional time,
9     except as otherwise provided in subsections (c) and (d);
10     and
11         (2) incorporates guidance for secure and accessible
12     storage of wireless devices during instructional time or
13     directs the district superintendent or his or her designee
14     to provide such guidance. However, this paragraph (2) does
15     not preclude a school district from prohibiting the use or
16     possession of wireless communication devices for students
17     not meeting one of the exceptions set forth in subsection
18     (c) or (d).
19     (c) The policy adopted and implemented under subsection
20 (b) may not prohibit a student from using a wireless
21 communication device during instructional time under the
22 following circumstances:
23         (1) if a licensed physician determines that the
24     possession or use of a wireless communication device is
25     necessary for the health or well-being of the student and
26     the student uses the wireless communication device as

SB2427 Engrossed - 3 - LRB104 12240 LNS 22347 b

1     prescribed by the licensed physician;
2         (2) to fulfill an individualized education program or
3     a plan developed under Section 504 of the federal
4     Rehabilitation Act of 1973; or
5         (3) if the wireless communication device is necessary
6     for students who are English learners, as defined in
7     Section 14C-2 of this Code, to access learning materials.
8     (d) The policy adopted and implemented under subsection
9 (b) may allow for the following exceptions:
10         (1) if school personnel have authorized the student to
11     use a wireless communication device for educational
12     purposes; and
13         (2) in the event of an emergency as detailed in at
14     least one of the school district's emergency and crises
15     response plans, protocols, or procedures.
16     (e) No school district may enforce the wireless
17 communication device policy through fees, fines, or the
18 deployment of a school resource officer or local law
19 enforcement officer.
20     (f) Each school board shall review its wireless
21 communication device policy at least once every 3 years and
22 make any necessary and appropriate revisions to the policy.
23     (g) A school district shall publicly post the policy
24 adopted and implemented under subsection (b) on its website.
25 If the school district does not operate a website, then the
26 school district shall provide a copy of the policy adopted and

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1 implemented under subsection (b) to the parents or guardians
2 of every student enrolled in the school district.

3     (105 ILCS 5/27A-5.3 new)
4     Sec. 27A-5.3. Wireless communication device policy.
5     (a) As used in this Section:
6     "Instructional time" means the time during a school day
7 students spend learning and participating in school
8 activities. "Instructional time" does not include recess,
9 passing time, or lunch time.
10     "Wireless communication device" means any portable
11 wireless device that has the capability to provide voice,
12 messaging, or other data communication between 2 or more
13 parties, including, but not limited to:
14         (1) cellular telephones;
15         (2) tablet computers;
16         (3) laptop computers;
17         (4) gaming devices; and
18         (5) wearable devices, including smart watches or smart
19     glasses.
20 "Wireless communication device" does not include any device
21 that a charter school or teacher has directly issued to,
22 provided for, or required a student to possess and use for
23 educational purposes during instructional time.
24     (b) Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, each charter
25 school shall adopt and implement a wireless communication

SB2427 Engrossed - 5 - LRB104 12240 LNS 22347 b

1 device policy that:
2         (1) at a minimum, prohibits a student from using a
3     wireless communication device during instructional time,
4     except as otherwise provided in subsections (c) and (d);
5     and
6         (2) incorporates guidance for secure and accessible
7     storage of wireless devices during instructional time.
8     However, this paragraph (2) does not preclude a charter
9     school from prohibiting the use or possession of wireless
10     communication devices for students not meeting one of the
11     exceptions set forth in subsection (c) or (d).
12     (c) The policy adopted and implemented under subsection
13 (b) may not prohibit a student from using a wireless
14 communication device during instructional time under the
15 following circumstances:
16         (1) if a licensed physician determines that the
17     possession or use of a wireless communication device is
18     necessary for the health or well-being of the student and
19     the student uses the wireless communication device as
20     prescribed by the licensed physician;
21         (2) to fulfill an individualized education program or
22     a plan developed under Section 504 of the federal
23     Rehabilitation Act of 1973; or
24         (3) if the wireless communication device is necessary
25     for students who are English learners, as defined in
26     Section 14C-2 of this Code, to access learning materials.

SB2427 Engrossed - 6 - LRB104 12240 LNS 22347 b

1     (d) The policy adopted and implemented under subsection
2 (b) may allow for the following exceptions:
3         (1) if school personnel have authorized the student to
4     use a wireless communication device for educational
5     purposes; and
6         (2) in the event of an emergency as detailed in at
7     least one of the charter school's emergency and crises
8     response plans, protocols, or procedures.
9     (e) No charter school may enforce the wireless
10 communication device policy through fees, fines, or the
11 deployment of a school resource officer or local law
12 enforcement officer.
13     (f) A charter school shall review its wireless
14 communication device policy at least once every 3 years and
15 make any necessary and appropriate revisions to the policy.
16     (g) A charter school shall publicly post the policy
17 adopted and implemented under subsection (b) on its website.
18 If the charter school does not operate a website, then the
19 charter school shall provide a copy of the policy adopted and
20 implemented under subsection (b) to the parents or guardians
21 of every student enrolled in the charter school.

22     (105 ILCS 5/34-18.14a new)
23     Sec. 34-18.14a. Wireless communication device policy.
24     (a) As used in this Section:
25     "Instructional time" means the time during a school day

SB2427 Engrossed - 7 - LRB104 12240 LNS 22347 b

1 students spend learning and participating in school
2 activities. "Instructional time" does not include recess,
3 passing time, or lunch time.
4     "Wireless communication device" means any portable
5 wireless device that has the capability to provide voice,
6 messaging, or other data communication between 2 or more
7 parties, including, but not limited to:
8         (1) cellular telephones;
9         (2) tablet computers;
10         (3) laptop computers;
11         (4) gaming devices; and
12         (5) wearable devices, including smart watches or smart
13     glasses.
14 "Wireless communication device" does not include any device
15 that the school district or teacher has directly issued to,
16 provided for, or required a student to possess and use for
17 educational purposes during instructional time.
18     (b) On or before the 2026-2027 school year, the board
19 shall adopt and implement a wireless communication device
20 policy that:
21         (1) at a minimum, prohibits a student from using a
22     wireless communication device during instructional time,
23     except as otherwise provided in subsections (c) and (d);
24     and
25         (2) incorporates guidance for secure and accessible
26     storage of wireless devices during instructional time or

SB2427 Engrossed - 8 - LRB104 12240 LNS 22347 b

1     directs the general superintendent of schools or his or
2     her designee to provide such guidance. However, this
3     paragraph (2) does not preclude the school district from
4     prohibiting the use or possession of wireless
5     communication devices for students not meeting one of the
6     exceptions set forth in subsection (c) or (d).
7     (c) The policy adopted and implemented under subsection
8 (b) may not prohibit a student from using a wireless
9 communication device during instructional time under the
10 following circumstances:
11         (1) if a licensed physician determines that the
12     possession or use of a wireless communication device is
13     necessary for the health or well-being of the student and
14     the student uses the wireless communication device as
15     prescribed by the licensed physician;
16         (2) to fulfill an individualized education program or
17     a plan developed under Section 504 of the federal
18     Rehabilitation Act of 1973; or
19         (3) if the wireless communication device is necessary
20     for students who are English learners, as defined in
21     Section 14C-2 of this Code, to access learning materials.
22     (d) The policy adopted and implemented under subsection
23 (b) may allow for the following exceptions:
24         (1) if school personnel have authorized the student to
25     use a wireless communication device for educational
26     purposes; and

SB2427 Engrossed - 9 - LRB104 12240 LNS 22347 b

1         (2) in the event of an emergency as detailed in at
2     least one of the school district's emergency and crises
3     response plans, protocols, or procedures.
4     (e) The school district may not enforce the wireless
5 communication device policy through fees, fines, or the
6 deployment of a school resource officer or local law
7 enforcement officer.
8     (f) The board shall review its wireless communication
9 device policy at least once every 3 years and make any
10 necessary and appropriate revisions to the policy.
11     (g) The school district shall publicly post the policy
12 adopted and implemented under subsection (b) on its website.

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