HB 2205

no phones during class time

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review

Initial 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 policy prohibiting the use of personal electronic devices by public school students during instructional time.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Smartphones, tablets, smart watches. School-issued devices are exempt.

The bill requires every Texas school district board and open-enrollment charter school governing body to adopt a policy banning students from using personal electronic devices during instructional time. It covers student-owned computers, smartphones, tablets, smart watches and other internet- or cellular-capable devices, but not devices the school itself issues. Starting with the 2025-2026 school year, students in public schools will be barred by local policy from using their own devices during class time.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Jan 29, 2025 and referred to the House Public Education committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB2205 · 2025-01-29

SOLD BY

Rep. Benjamin BumgarnerRHouse 63

ITEM

relating to a policy prohibiting the use of personal electronic devices by public school students during instructional time.

WHAT IT DOES

Smartphones, tablets, smart watches. School-issued devices are exempt.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

Jan 29, 2025Filed
Mar 14, 2025Read first time
Mar 14, 2025Referred to Public Education

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Benjamin Bumgarner

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$685K Texas Conservative Majority PAC$444K Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$124K

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 29, 2024 to Oct 23, 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.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$684,547.30

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$684,547.30

Cash: $45,000.00
Paid by others: $639,547.30
Total: $684,547.30

advertising $362,314.98grassroots $175,000.00mail $73,471.97polling $28,760.35

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 4, 2024 to Oct 22, 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.

Report IDs: 100977031, 101011438, 101032753, 101060419, 101068130, 101070151.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$443,776.00

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$443,776.00

Cash: $125,000.00
Paid by others: $318,776.00
Total: $443,776.00

canvassing $294,526.00polling $24,250.00

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jan 23, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Aug 12, 2026 to Oct 23, 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.

Report IDs: 101068130, 101070151.

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$124,437.26

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$124,437.26

Cash: $30,000.00
Paid by others: $94,437.26
Total: $124,437.26

mail $85,600.30text $8,736.96event $100.00

Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 29, 2024 to Oct 23, 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.

Report IDs: 100977031, 101032753, 101068130, 101070151.

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$684,547.30

Cash: $45,000.00
Paid by others: $639,547.30
Total: $684,547.30

advertising $362,314.98grassroots $175,000.00mail $73,471.97polling $28,760.35

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 4, 2024 to Oct 22, 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.

Report IDs: 100977031, 101011438, 101032753, 101060419, 101068130, 101070151.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$443,776.00

Cash: $125,000.00
Paid by others: $318,776.00
Total: $443,776.00

canvassing $294,526.00polling $24,250.00

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jan 23, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Aug 12, 2026 to Oct 23, 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.

Report IDs: 101068130, 101070151.

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$124,437.26

Cash: $30,000.00
Paid by others: $94,437.26
Total: $124,437.26

mail $85,600.30text $8,736.96event $100.00

Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 29, 2024 to Oct 23, 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.

Report IDs: 100977031, 101032753, 101068130, 101070151.

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 Jan 29, 2025

03/14/2025 H Referred to Public Education: Mar 14 2025 2:36PM

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Public Education · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Education--School Districts

Electronic Information Systems

COMPUTERS & SOFTWARE

TELEPHONES & TELEPHONE DIRECTORIES

Text

The text as introduced · 229 words

89R2522 CMO-F

By: Bumgarner
H.B. No. 2205

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a policy prohibiting the use of personal electronic

devices by public school students during instructional time.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 38, Education Code, is

amended by adding Section 38.0232 to read as follows:

Sec. 38.0232. PROHIBITED USE OF PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICES

DURING INSTRUCTIONAL TIME. (a) In this section, "personal

electronic device" means a device other than a device issued to an

enrolled student by a school district or open-enrollment charter

school that is capable of connecting to a cellular network or the

Internet, including:

(1) a computer;

(2) a smartphone;

(3) a tablet; or

(4) a smart watch.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 38.0231, the board of trustees

of a school district and the governing body of an open-enrollment

charter school shall adopt a policy prohibiting a student in the

district or school from using a personal electronic device during

instructional time.

SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026

school year.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

Act takes effect September 1, 2025.