B 26-0073 Legislature · 26th Council Period (2025-2026)

Heads Up! Distraction-Free Learning Amendment Act of 2025 (now known as "Disconnect Act of 2025")

The "Disconnect Act of 2025" requires District of Columbia public schools to adopt a policy banning students from using personal wireless devices (such as cell phones, smartwatches, and gaming devices) during the school day. Exceptions include using devices for educational purposes with teacher permission, during health emergencies, or as part of a student's Individualized Education Program (IEP). The policy must provide secure device storage and ensure violations do not result in classroom removal. It aims to reduce distractions and support learning, citing low academic performance in recent district assessments.

Issues: ✓ Education ✗ Technology

Sub-Topics: Telecommunications Special Education Teachers

Bill status signed all 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

May 2025

Council Passage

Jul 2025

Signed into Law

Sep 2025

Introduced Jan 27, 2025 Signed Sep 19, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Engrossment → Enrollment · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was finalized as the 'Disconnect Act of 2025' to ban student use of personal wireless devices during the school day. The primary change is a correction in the consequences section, which now references the 'Attendance Accountability Amendment Act of 2013' instead of a different act, ensuring penalties align with existing attendance laws. The bill also removed sections regarding fiscal impact certification and applicability dates, replacing them with a standard effective date clause that requires approval by the Mayor and a 30-day congressional review period.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on K-12 students in the District of Columbia, but the enforcement mechanism was clarified by updating the legal citation for student penalties.

ENFORCEMENT

Updated the legal citation for consequences to reference the 'Attendance Accountability Amendment Act of 2013' instead of the 'Student Fair Access to School Amendment Act', ensuring the penalty framework is consistent with current attendance laws.

TECHNICAL

Deleted sections requiring the Chief Financial Officer to certify fiscal impact and the Budget Director to publish certification notices, as these were replaced by a standard fiscal impact statement adoption clause.

Removed a specific section on when the act becomes applicable based on budget inclusion, replacing it with a standard effective date provision tied to Mayor approval and congressional review.

Added the formal title page, signature lines for the Council Chairman and Mayor, and page numbering typical of enrolled legislation.

Floor votes · Council Jul 1, 2025

How they voted

11–1

Passed

Total votes 12

Jul 1, 2025

D Democratic10

9 Yea 1 Nay

90% Yea

I Independent2

2 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Jul 1, 2025

Council · Passed

Council Vote: pass (11-1)

council

Jul 1, 2025

Introduced

Oral Amendment (Mendelson)

legislature

Jul 1, 2025

Introduced

Amendment (Mendelson)

legislature

May 13, 2025

Legislature · Passed

Committee Mark-up of B26-0073 by the Committee of the Whole

legislature

Feb 4, 2025

Committee

Referred to Committee of the Whole

legislature

Jan 27, 2025

Introduced

B26-0073 Introduced by Councilmember Pinto at Office of the Secretary

legislature

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors