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

HB 570 requires Mississippi public school boards to create and implement age-appropriate cell phone policies for students during the entire academic day (bell-to-bell), affecting all public elementary, middle, and high schools. The bill mandates restrictions on phone use in classrooms during instruction, requires devices to be stored off-person (e.g., in lockers or backpacks), and prohibits suspensions or expulsions for violations. It also specifies minimum rules for different grade levels - like banning phones entirely in elementary buildings versus allowing stored phones in middle schools - and requires schools to use designated communication tools for emergencies. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and was never enacted.