Public schools; require school boards to adopt policy on bell-to-bell cell phone prohibition.

HB 317 would require all Mississippi public school districts to adopt and implement age-appropriate policies banning student cell phone use during the entire academic school day (from first bell to last bell), including classrooms, hallways, and lunch periods. The policies must prohibit suspensions or expulsions for violations, allow exceptions for students with health needs or Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), and mandate that schools post the rules online. Elementary schools would generally ban phones entirely during school hours, while middle schools would require phones to be stored and turned off. The bill died in committee in February 2026 and never became law.