HB 1446
Goodwin Bill Studies School Phone Bans, Changes Nothing In Class
Died in committee
Verdict: Smells
Why it's charged
Study, task force, commission, report
The bill's only duty is a study and a report due more than a year later, with any action left to future recommendations. The caption honestly says it is a study.
Study, task force, commission, reportInitial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade
Caption
relating to a study by the Texas Education Agency on the effects of school district policies prohibiting student use of personal communication devices.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
TEA reports by December 1, 2026. The law expires January 1, 2027.
The bill orders the Texas Education Agency to study how school district bans on student cell phones and other personal devices affect test scores, teacher turnover, dropout rates, and college, career, and military readiness. It touches the agency and the schools it picks for comparison, and the agency may work with other agencies, schools, and nonprofits. Nothing changes in classrooms: the agency must deliver a report with recommendations by December 1, 2026, and the law expires January 1, 2027.
Labels
Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Nov 21, 2024 and referred to the House Public Education committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-HB1446 · 2024-11-21
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to a study by the Texas Education Agency on the effects of school district policies prohibiting student use of personal communication devices.
WHAT IT DOES
TEA reports by December 1, 2026. The law expires January 1, 2027.
The bill orders the Texas Education Agency to study how school district bans on student cell phones and other personal devices affect test scores, teacher turnover, dropout rates, and college, career, and military readiness. It touches the agency and the schools it picks for comparison, and the agency may work with other agencies, schools, and nonprofits. Nothing changes in classrooms: the agency must deliver a report with recommendations by December 1, 2026, and the law expires January 1, 2027.
CHARGES
[x] STUDY, TASK FORCE, COMMISSION, REPORTanalysis confidence 90%
The bill's only duty is a study and a report due more than a year later, with any action left to future recommendations. The caption honestly says it is a study.
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Public Education
FILED UNDER
No verified beat found.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
Not tied to this bill.
Sources
The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.
Derived itemized flow · Oct 28, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
Votes
No floor vote loaded for this bill.
Fiscal
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
How this was graded
Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.
Sources
Texas House · Filed Nov 21, 2024
03/11/2025 H Referred to Public Education: Mar 11 2025 3:26PM
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
House committee · Public Education · Final status: Died in committee
Subjects
Education--Primary & Secondary--General
Interim Studies
EMAIL & ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS
TELEPHONES & TELEPHONE DIRECTORIES
EDUCATION AGENCY, TEXAS
Text
The text as introduced · 344 words
89R3723 KRM-D By: Goodwin H.B. No. 1446 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to a study by the Texas Education Agency on the effects of school district policies prohibiting student use of personal communication devices. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 38, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 38.028 to read as follows: Sec. 38.028. STUDY ON EFFECTS OF PERSONAL COMMUNICATION DEVICE PROHIBITIONS IN SCHOOLS. (a) The agency shall conduct a study regarding the effect of school district policies that prohibit a student from using a personal communication device, including a cell phone, while on school property. (b) The study must identify and examine schools with comparable longitudinal student data, including: (1) student population size; (2) percentage of students demonstrating college, career, or military readiness; (3) percentage of students receiving special education services under Subchapter A, Chapter 29; (4) percentage of emergent bilingual students, as defined by Section 29.052; (5) standardized test results before the school's personal communication device policy was implemented; (6) economic and gender demographics; (7) total state funds returned to the school; and (8) any other data the agency determines necessary. (c) The agency shall assess schools identified under Subsection (b) to determine the effects of prohibiting student use of personal communication devices on: (1) standardized test results; (2) teacher turnover rates; (3) student dropout rates; (4) college, career, and military readiness outcomes; and (5) if available, teacher job satisfaction rates. (d) In conducting the study, the agency may collaborate with other state agencies, schools, nonprofit corporations, and other interested persons. (e) Not later than December 1, 2026, the agency shall: (1) prepare and submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the legislature a written report on the results of the study and any recommendations for legislative or other action; and (2) post the report described by Subdivision (1) on the agency's Internet website. (f) This section expires January 1, 2027. SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.