Public K-12 education; State Board of Education required to adopt model student cell phone use policy, local boards of education required to adopt cell phone use policy

HB 65 requires Alabama's State Board of Education to create a model policy restricting student cell phone use during school hours in public K-12 schools, with exceptions for emergencies, health care, or special education plans (IEP/504). Local school boards must adopt their own policies based on this model by the start of the 2026-2027 school year. The bill directly affects all Alabama public K-12 schools, their administrators, and students by establishing standardized rules for electronic device use during the school day. It does not prohibit devices entirely but mandates policies limiting use to specified circumstances. The bill is pending committee review and would take effect June 1, 2025, though implementation deadlines are set for 2026.