H 5442

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
Bill 5442
Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)
A bill
TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION
59-29-245 SO AS TO PROHIBIT THE USE OF DIGITAL DEVICES BY STUDENTS IN
KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FIFTH GRADE, TO PROHIBIT THE USE OF DIGITAL DEVICES BY
TEACHERS IN PROVIDING INSTRUCTION TO STUDENTS IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FIFTH
GRADE, TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONS, AND TO DEFINE NECESSARY TERMS.
Be it enacted by the
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1.  Article 1, Chapter 29, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is
amended by adding:
    Section
59-29-245. (A) As used in this
section:
       (1)
"Digital device" means any electronic hardware, whether personally owned or
provided by a school or school district, that is capable of accessing,
processing, storing, displaying, receiving, or transmitting data including, but
not limited to, devices used for instructional, educational, assessment,
communication, or personal purposes. The term includes, but is not limited to,
desktop computers, laptop computers, tablet computers, cellular telephones,
smartphones, smartwatches, e-readers, handheld electronic devices, and any
other portable or nonportable electronic equipment with computing or network
connectivity capabilities. The term does not include:
  (a)
medical devices or assistive technology devices required by a student's
individualized education program (IEP), Section 504 plan, or documented medical
need;
  (b)
equipment that is integral to the operation of school facilities and not
assigned for student use including, but not limited to, projectors, interactive
whiteboards, or classroom display panels when used solely for whole-class
instruction under the direct control of an educator; or
  (c)
calculators or similar single-purpose devices that lack the capability to
access the internet or transmit data.
       (2)
"Parent" means a parent or legal guardian of a student.
       (3)
"Social media" means a form of interactive electronic communication through an
internet website or application by which a user creates a service-specific
identifying user profile to connect with other users of the internet website or
application for purposes of communicating and sharing information, ideas, news,
stories, opinions, images, videos, and other content.
    (B)
Except as provided in subsection (C), each school district and charter school
that serves students in any of the grades kindergarten through fifth grade
shall prohibit:
       (1)
students in any of the grades kindergarten through fifth grade from accessing
digital devices at school;
       (2)
teachers and other employees of the school district or charter school from
using a digital device to provide instruction to students in any of the grades
kindergarten through fifth grade; and
       (3)
teachers and other employees of the school district or charter school from
administering an assessment to students in any of the grades kindergarten
through fifth grade in an electronic format.
    (C)
This section does not:
       (1)
apply to public virtual schools;
       (2)
supersede a school district's or charter school's obligation to comply with the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. Section 1400, et seq.,
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C. Section 794, or the Americans
with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. Section 12101, et seq.; or
       (3)
apply to the administration of a universal screener adopted by the State Board
of Education, a dyslexia screening, a state-adopted benchmark assessment, or
any other assessment required by the State.
SECTION 2.  This act takes effect upon approval
by the Governor.
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This web page was last updated on March 26, 2026 at 12:03 PM