HB 1055 - AS INTRODUCED
2026 SESSION
26-2502
12/09
HOUSE BILL 1055
SPONSORS: Rep. Litchfield, Rock. 32; Rep. Nadeau, Rock. 4; Rep. L. Miner, Rock. 7; Sen. Gannon, Dist 23
COMMITTEE: Education Policy and Administration
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ANALYSIS
This bill authorizes the state board of education rulemaking authority to establish rules for the policies of school boards and charter school boards of trustees relative to cell phone and personal communication device usage in schools.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
26-2502
12/09
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Duty to Provide Education. Amend RSA 189:1-a, V to read as follows:
V. School boards and the board of trustees of chartered public schools shall develop and adopt a policy governing the use of student cell phones and other personal electronic communication devices in schools. Such policy shall prohibit all personal communication device use by students from when the first bell rings to start instructional time until the dismissal bell rings to end the academic school day, with approved exceptions determined by the superintendent or their designee with respect to student medical, disability, or language proficiency need. Such policy shall be developed in collaboration with school parents and teachers and shall be reviewed annually. School district and chartered public school policies shall not prohibit students with medical needs, such as insulin pumps and glucose sensors, or disabilities from using a device to support their learning as identified by their individualized education program (IEP), plan developed under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. section 794, or when required to support emergent multilingual students with appropriate language access programs and services pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The state board of education may adopt rules, pursuant to RSA 541-A, relative to the use of student cell phones and other personal electronic communication devices in schools.
2 New Paragraph; Cell Phone Use Policy Rulemaking Authority. Amend RSA 186:8 by inserting after paragraph IX the following new paragraph:
X. The use of student cell phones and other personal electronic communication devices in schools, in accordance with RSA 189:1-a, V.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 12, 2026 | House | Hearing |
Jan. 8, 2026: Public Hearing: 01/12/2026 11:00 am GP 232
Nov. 7, 2025: Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Education Policy and Administration HJ 1