# Virginia HB1961: Public elementary & secondary schools; bell-to-bell student cell phone & smart device possession. Virginia HB1961, Public elementary & secondary schools; bell-to-bell student cell phone & smart device possession., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Sam Rasoul (Democratic); status to governor, last action 2025-04-02 (Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation Block Vote (40-Y 0-N)) (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1961-2025 - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia HB1961 - State: Virginia - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: Public elementary & secondary schools; bell-to-bell student cell phone & smart device possession. - Status: to governor - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-01-06 - Last action: 2025-04-02, Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation Block Vote (40-Y 0-N) - Sponsor: Sam Rasoul (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 9 (371 yes, 85 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 0 ## Summary Public elementary and secondary schools; student cell phone possession and use policies; development and implementation. Directs each school board to develop and each public elementary and secondary school to implement policies relating to the possession and use of cell phones and smart devices by students on school property from bell to bell, as defined in the law, and requires such policies, among other things, to (i) restrict student cell phone and smart device possession and use on school property from bell to bell and (ii) permit any student, pursuant to an Individualized Education Plan, Section 504 Plan, individualized health care plan, or Limited English Proficiency plan, to possess and use a cell phone or smart device on school property, including in the classroom, from bell to bell to monitor or address a health concern or as an accommodation or assistive technology support. This bill is identical to SB 738. ## Bill overview No economic impacts identified for this bill. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Sam Rasoul (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-02 | House | House concurred in Governor's recommendation Block Vote | pass | 96 | 0 | | | 2025-04-02 | Senate | Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2025-02-20 | House | Senate substitute agreed to by House | pass | 75 | 22 | | | 2025-02-19 | Senate | Passed Senate with substitute | pass | 21 | 19 | | | 2025-02-17 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 39 | 0 | | | 2025-02-13 | Senate | Reported from Education and Health with substitute | pass | 9 | 6 | | | 2025-02-04 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 69 | 30 | | | 2025-01-29 | House | Reported from Education with substitute | pass | 16 | 6 | | | 2025-01-28 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | 6 | 2 | | ## Actions (46) - 2025-04-02: Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation Block Vote (40-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2025-04-02: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0644) (Governor) - 2025-04-02: Reenrolled bill text (HB1961ER2) (House) - 2025-04-02: Reenrolled (House) - 2025-04-02: Enacted, Chapter 644 (Effective 07/01/25) (House) - 2025-04-02: Signed by President as reenrolled (Senate) - 2025-04-02: Signed by Speaker as reenrolled (House) - 2025-04-02: Governor's recommendation adopted (Governor) - 2025-04-02: House concurred in Governor's recommendation Block Vote (96-Y 0-N) (House) - 2025-03-24: Governor's recommendation received by House (Governor) - 2025-03-24: Governor's substitute printed (HB1961H2) (House) - 2025-03-11: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (Governor) - 2025-03-11: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 11, 2025 (House) - 2025-03-10: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-03-07: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1961) (House) - 2025-03-07: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1961ER) (House) - 2025-03-07: Enrolled (House) - 2025-03-07: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-02-20: Senate substitute agreed to by House (75-Y 22-N) (House) - 2025-02-19: Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Education and Health Substitute agreed to (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Read third time (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Reading of substitute waived (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2025-02-17: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2025-02-17: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-17: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2025-02-14: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1961) (House) - 2025-02-13: Committee substitute printed 25107492D-S1 (Senate) - 2025-02-13: Reported from Education and Health with substitute (9-Y 6-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-10: Assigned Education sub: Public Education (Senate) - 2025-02-05: Referred to Committee on Education and Health (Senate) - 2025-02-05: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate) - 2025-02-04: Read third time and passed House (69-Y 30-N) (House) - 2025-02-03: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House) - 2025-02-03: Education Substitute agreed to (House) - 2025-02-03: Read second time (House) - 2025-01-31: Read first time (House) - 2025-01-29: Committee substitute printed 25106011D-H1 (House) - 2025-01-29: Reported from Education with substitute (16-Y 6-N) (House) - 2025-01-28: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1961) (House) - 2025-01-28: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (6-Y 2-N) (House) - 2025-01-24: Assigned Educ sub: K-12 Subcommittee (House) - 2025-01-06: Referred to Committee on Education (House) - 2025-01-06: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25103580D (House) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2025-04-02: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1079200.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1079199.PDF) - Reenrolled, 2025-04-02: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1075051.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1075050.PDF) - Substitute, 2025-03-25: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074627.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074626.PDF) - Gov Recommendation, 2025-03-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1073580.HTML) - Enrolled, 2025-03-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1066863.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1066862.PDF) - Substitute, 2025-02-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1052275.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1051200.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1052274.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1051199.PDF) - Substitute, 2025-01-29: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1031201.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1031200.PDF) - Introduced, 2025-01-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014187.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014186.PDF) ## Related bills - HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care. (adopted) - SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty. (failed) - HB1746: Public safety officer; definition. (failed) - HB1600: Budget Bill. (failed) - SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility. (failed) - HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for infertility treatment. (to governor) ## Sources - [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1079200.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1079199.PDF) - [Reenrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1075051.HTML) - [Reenrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1075050.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074627.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074626.PDF) - [Gov Recommendation (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1073580.HTML) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1066863.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1066862.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1052275.HTML) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1051200.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1052274.PDF) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1051199.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1031201.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1031200.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014187.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014186.PDF) ## Related - [HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HR671-2025) - [SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB941-2025) - [HB1746: Public safety officer; definition.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1746-2025) - [HB1600: Budget Bill.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1600-2025) - [SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB1449-2025) - [HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for i…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1609-2025) - [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills) - [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1961-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).