# 119-s-5620: UNPLUGGED Schools Grant Act of 2026

119-s-5620, UNPLUGGED Schools Grant Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ] (D-AZ); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-16).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5620
- As of: 2026-10-16
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-5620
- Congress: 119
- Title: UNPLUGGED Schools Grant Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-09-30
- Sponsor: Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ] (D-AZ)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Policy area: Education
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-10-16

## Summary

**This bill would create a federal grant program to help states implement and enforce bans on student personal electronic devices during school hours.** It pairs funding for enforcement and secure storage with rules for limited exceptions and state‑local coordination. - Families and students: The policy must allow narrow exceptions for medical needs and students with disabilities documented in an IEP or 504 plan. Schools must also enable timely parent communications about pick‑up changes and emergencies. - State and local education agencies: States would get grants to develop coordinated PED policies in consultation with educators, parents, and students. Allocations follow a Title I subpart 2 formula and include a small‑state minimum of 0.5% of total funding. - Schools and operations: Grants would fund procedures to enforce the PED rules and buy secure storage like lockable lockers, lock boxes, or signal‑blocking devices. The definition of personal electronic devices covers phones, wearables, laptops, tablets, and similar devices, with limited instructional exceptions.

## Cosponsors (1)

- Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR] (R-AR), 2026-09-30T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Federal grants to help schools enforce rules: benefit, low. If enacted, the Secretary would create the UNPLUGGED Schools Grant Program and award grants to State education agencies with approved applications. Grants would help schools implement device prohibition policies, develop enforcement procedures, and buy secure storage for devices. The Secretary woul…
- New state rules on student devices: mixed, medium. If enacted, a State seeking a grant would need a policy that bans students from possessing or using personal electronic devices during school hours in covered public schools. The policy would have to be developed with each local school district and in consultation with educators, parents, and stude…

## Related bills

- 119-s-2342: Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026
- 119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act
- 119-s-1541: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026
- 119-s-5025: Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026
- 119-s-1552: Living Donor Protection Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-s-5620 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/5620)

## Related
- [119-s-2342: Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2342)
- [119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1748)
- [119-s-1541: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1541)
- [119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3990)
- [119-s-5025: Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5025)
- [119-s-1552: Living Donor Protection Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1552)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5620 (as of 2026-10-16).