# Virginia HB882: Students; Department of Education's model policy on cell phone use during instructional time.

Virginia HB882, Students; Department of Education's model policy on cell phone use during instructional time., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Mark L. Earley, Jr. (Republican); status failed, last action 2024-11-18 (Left in Education) (as of 2026-10-16).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB882-2025
- As of: 2026-10-16
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB882
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Students; Department of Education's model policy on cell phone use during instructional time.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2024-01-09
- Last action: 2024-11-18, Left in Education
- Sponsor: Mark L. Earley, Jr. (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Education
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 3 (16 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Department of Education; model policy on student cell phone use during instructional time; local adoption. Requires the Department of Education to develop, adopt, and distribute to each school board a model policy whereby public elementary and secondary school students are prohibited from possessing or using personal cell phones or other personal handheld communication devices during instructional time at school. The bill requires the Department, in developing and adopting such model policy, to seek to balance the interests of students' academic achievement, cognitive development, safety, and general well-being and permits the Department to include appropriate exceptions in extraordinary circumstances such as emergency situations or situations involving the need to contact the student's parents. The bill requires each school board to develop and adopt a policy that is consistent with such model policy adopted by the Department.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Mark L. Earley, Jr. (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2024-02-05 | House | Continued to 2025 in Education (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2024-01-30 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendments | pass | 8 | 0 | 1 |
| 2024-01-30 | House | Subcommittee recommends referring to Committee on Appropriations | pass | 8 | 0 | 1 |

## Actions (8)

- 2024-11-18: Left in Education (House)
- 2024-02-05: Continued to 2025 in Education (Voice Vote) (House)
- 2024-02-02: Impact statement from DPB (HB882) (House)
- 2024-01-30: Subcommittee recommends referring to Committee on Appropriations (House)
- 2024-01-30: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendments (8-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2024-01-29: Assigned Education sub: K-12 Subcommittee (House)
- 2024-01-09: Referred to Committee on Education (House)
- 2024-01-09: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/24 24101909D (House)

## Bill text

- Introduced, 2024-01-23: [HTML](https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20251/HB882)

## 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
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20251/HB882)

## 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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB882-2025 (as of 2026-10-16).