Public elementary & secondary schools; bell-to-bell student cell phone & smart device possession.

Changed policy timing requirement from 'regular school hours' to 'bell to bell' to extend restrictions to lunch and between-class periods.

Added new definition for 'bell to bell' to clarify it covers the entire school day from first bell to dismissal bell.

Expanded student exemptions to include Limited English Proficiency plans in addition to Individualized Education Plans and Section 504 Plans.

Changed bill title from 'regular school hours' to 'bell-to-bell student cell phone and smart device possession and use policies'.

The phrase 'bell to bell' was replaced with 'during regular school hours' in multiple sections to clarify the time period when policies apply, removing potential ambiguity about when instructional time begins and ends.

Formatting and header information were updated to reflect the Conference Substitute status, including changes to bill numbers and committee attribution from the House Committee to the Joint Conference Committee.

Changed committee attribution from Senate Committee on Education and Health to House Committee on Education.

Added page numbers and formatting markers typical of House substitute documents.

Changed date from January 23, 2025 to February 5, 2025 in the committee proposal date.

Changed device possession restrictions from 'bell-to-bell' (all school time) to only 'during regular school hours' and specifically 'in the classroom'.

Removed the requirement that only students with Individualized Education Plans or Section 504 Plans can use devices, allowing school boards to approve other health-related accommodations.

Added new subsection requiring that policies not be interpreted as requiring total prohibition of all cell phone and smart device use during regular school hours.

Added explicit protection against suspending, expelling, or removing students from class for cell phone policy violations that don't involve disruptive behavior.

Added new definition of 'bell to bell' to specify that policies apply from the start of instructional time until dismissal, explicitly including lunch and time between class periods.

Changed policy requirements from applying only during classroom hours to applying from bell to bell throughout the entire school day.

Expanded eligibility for device exceptions by adding individualized health care plans and Limited English Proficiency plans to the list of qualifying documents alongside Individualized Education Plans and Section 504 Plans.

Changed the bill title to include 'bell-to-bell' language and updated formatting to reflect reenrollment status.

Added a formal definition of 'smart device' to include any personal electronic device that connects to the Internet and wirelessly collects, processes, and transmits data, such as smartwatches and tablets.

Updated policy requirements to apply to both cell phones and smart devices throughout the bill, including classroom restrictions, health accommodations, and suspension prohibitions.

Reorganized section numbering and formatting to align with standard enrolled bill format, including adding a section letter B for definitions and renumbering subsequent subsections accordingly.

Updated enforcement language to prohibit suspensions or expulsions for violations of policies covering both cell phones and smart devices, maintaining the same protective standards as the original version.