HB166 Alabama 2025 Session

Updated Feb 22, 2026

High Interest

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Leigh HulseyRepresentative
Republican
Session: 2025 Regular Session
Title: Public K-12 schools, cell phone policy and Internet/social media safety
Summary: HB166 bans wireless devices in Alabama public K-12 schools during instructional time, requires internet safety policies and a mandatory pre-8th-grade social media safety course, and repeals the prior policy allowing device use on campus.
What This Bill Does
The bill repeals the current allowance for students to carry or use wireless devices on school property and, starting in the 2025-2026 school year, prohibits use or possession of such devices in school buildings or on school grounds during the instructional day, with limited exceptions. It requires local boards of education to adopt wireless device policies and internet safety policies, and to enforce consequences for violations. It also creates an online, asynchronous social media safety course to be developed by the State DOE and completed by students before entering the 8th grade (and available to transfer students), and establishes annual staff surveys and public reporting of policy implementation.

Who It Affects
Students in Alabama public K-12 schools: will be restricted from using or carrying wireless devices during the instructional day (with specified exceptions) and must store devices away; they must take a social media safety course before 8th grade; internet access will be governed by district internet safety policies.
Local boards of education, school staff, parents, and the State Department of Education: responsible for adopting and enforcing the new wireless device and internet safety policies, delivering the social media safety course, conducting annual staff surveys, and reporting survey results publicly.

Key Provisions
Repeals Section 16-1-27, removing the rule that allowed use of electronic communication devices on school property.
Starting in 2025-2026, prohibits students from using or possessing wireless communication devices in public elementary or secondary school buildings or on grounds during the instructional day, with exceptions for IEP/504/health plans, educational use under supervision, and emergencies.
Local boards must adopt a wireless communication device policy by July 1, 2025, including consequences for violations and distribution to students, parents, and staff.
Local boards must adopt an Internet safety policy by July 1, 2025, restricting internet access to age-appropriate material, protecting safety and security, limiting access to social media unless directed for educational purposes, and requiring safety procedures for online activities.
Principal is responsible for ensuring policy compliance within the school.
State DOE must develop an asynchronous online social media safety course by July 1, 2025, covering benefits and risks of social media, safe practices, reporting procedures, cyberbullying and scam awareness, and personal information security; course must be delivered before 8th grade and available to transfer students.
Annual anonymous surveys of certificated staff to measure policy implementation; annual reporting of survey results to district and State Board of Education for publication.
The act becomes effective immediately.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Education