AN ACT to conduct a study on various cell phone policies in PUBLIC SCHOOL UNITS.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  The Department of Public Instruction, in consultation with the Department of Health and Human Services, the North Carolina School Boards Association, the North Carolina Association of School Administrators, the University of North Carolina School of Public Health, the University of North Carolina School of Education, and the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation at North Carolina State University, shall study cell phone policies in public school units. The Department shall contact the governing bodies of public school units to collect, and with the above named organizations analyze, the following information:

(1)        Whether the policy is implemented by the governing board of the public school unit or at the individual school level.

(2)        What the cell phone policy is, and specifically if the school uses any of the following policies:

a.         Complete ban on cell phone use or possession at school.

b.         Storage of cell phones in a secure location during the instructional day.

c.         No cell phone restrictions.

(3)        The impact of the policy on learning.

(4)        The impact of the policy on cyberbullying.

(5)        The impact of the policy on school safety.

(6)        Any other information the Department or consultant agencies deem relevant to the study.

SECTION 2.(a)  No later than June 30, 2025, the Friday Institute shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee the findings of the study conducted pursuant to Section 1 of this act.

SECTION 2.(b)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of five thousand dollars ($5,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2024‑2025 fiscal year to be allocated to the Friday Institute at North Carolina State University to facilitate the study conducted pursuant to Section 1 of this act and issue the report required under subsection (a) of Section 2 of this act.

SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.