IndianaSchools must give parents controls for devices used outside school
Starting in 2027, public and charter schools must give parents ways to manage school device use outside school, though some vendor contracts can delay this.
What it does
By January 1, 2027, public and charter schools must give parents ways to strengthen filters, block websites, or limit school device use outside school. Some schools may delay while a qualifying vendor contract remains in place.
The education department must publish a yearly list of approved learning materials in five subjects. Local school boards keep the power to choose what their schools use.
Approved school groups may use local boards to oversee facilities, student transportation, or both during three school years. The department may approve up to three applications for each pilot.
The education department and state police must prepare home firearm safety materials for schools, covering access, handling, and storage of firearms and ammunition.
Argument forParents could block websites or limit school device use outside school, giving families more ways to manage what students access.
Argument againstThe pilots may leave many communities out because the department can approve only three applications for each program.
More detail
Each school corporation and charter school must adopt a policy that lets parents manage school devices outside school. The rule covers school corporations, charter schools, and devices they own. The policy must let parents strengthen filters, block websites or content, and limit student use of school devices. Schools must tell parents about the policy. A school with a vendor contract in place on June 30, 2026, may delay the policy if the vendor cannot provide these controls, until the contract ends or is renewed. The policy is due by January 1, 2027. The contract exception ends July 1, 2030.
The education department must publish and update a list of approved learning materials. The list covers science, technology, engineering, math, and English-language arts materials. Before the department approves materials, publishers must provide a standard statewide price and enter a data-sharing agreement. The review must consider state standards, age suitability, assessments, and hands-on learning. Local school boards keep the authority to choose materials. The first list is due by July 1, 2027, with an update each July 1 after that.
School groups may apply to join pilots with local boards overseeing school facilities, student transportation, or both. Eligible partners include school corporations, charter schools, and nonpublic schools with at least one employee. School corporations must apply with other school corporations or schools. The department may approve no more than three applications for each pilot. Participants may leave after giving their partners at least one year's notice, subject to any agreement they made. The pilots cover the 2026–2027, 2027–2028, and 2028–2029 school years.
The department must work with state police to prepare firearm safety materials for schools and maintain a public website with those materials. The department must provide the materials to public schools, charter schools, and state-accredited nonpublic schools. The materials must cover firearm access and handling, firearm storage, ammunition access, and ammunition storage. The department must publicize the website and promote the materials to elementary and high schools. The department must provide the materials to schools after December 31, 2026.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 4Public Law 74Latest
- Mar 4Signed by the Governor Mike BraunBecame Law
- Feb 27Motion to concur filedMinor
- Vote recorded HB 1004 - Behning. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 27Signed by the President Pro TemporeMajor
- Feb 27Signed by the SpeakerMajor
- Feb 27House concurred with Senate amendments; Roll Call 407: yeas 66, nays 29
- Feb 27Signed by the President of the SenateMajor
- Feb 25House conferees appointed: Behning, Smith V
- Feb 25Senate conferees appointed: Johnson T, Ford J.D.
- Feb 25Senate advisors appointed: Raatz, Qaddoura, Rogers
- Feb 25House advisors appointed: McGuire, Smith H, DeLaney, Klinker, Pfaff
- Feb 24Returned to the House with amendmentsMinor
- Vote recorded HB 1004 - Johnson T - 3rd Reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 24Third reading: passed; Roll Call 225: yeas 28, nays 20Passed Senate
- Feb 24House dissented from Senate amendments
- Feb 24Motion to dissent filedMinor
- Feb 23Amendment #3 (Johnson T) prevailed; voice voteMajor
- Feb 23Amendment #1 (Johnson T) prevailed; voice voteMajor
- Feb 23Amendment #7 (Yoder) failed; voice voteMajor
- Feb 23Amendment #10 (Tomes) failed; voice voteMajor
- Feb 23Amendment #11 (Deery) prevailed; voice voteMajor
- Feb 23Amendment #9 (Donato) prevailed; voice voteMajor
- Feb 23Second reading: amended, ordered engrossedMinor
- Feb 19Committee report: do pass, adoptedMinor
- Feb 12Committee report: amend do pass adopted; reassigned to Committee on AppropriationsMinor
- Feb 12Senator Rogers added as third sponsor
- Feb 2First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career DevelopmentMinor
- Jan 29Referred to the SenateMinor
- Jan 28Senate sponsors: Senators Johnson T, Raatz
- Vote recorded HB 1004 - Behning - 3rd Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 28Third reading: passed; Roll Call 148: yeas 67, nays 26Passed House
- Jan 27Amendment #2 (Cash) prevailed; voice voteMajor
- Vote recorded HB 1004 - Behning - 2nd Reading. Result: fail.Lower
- Jan 27Amendment #3 (Behning) prevailed; voice voteMajor
- Jan 27Amendment #4 (DeLaney) failed; Roll Call 100: yeas 35, nays 57Major
- Jan 27Second reading: amended, ordered engrossedMinor
- Jan 27Amendment #6 (DeLaney) prevailed; voice voteMajor
- Jan 27Amendment #5 (DeLaney) prevailed; voice voteMajor
- Jan 22Committee report: amend do pass, adoptedMinor
- Jan 8First reading: referred to Committee on EducationMinor
- Jan 8Authored by Representative Behning
- Jan 8Coauthored by Representatives McGuire, Smith HIntroduced
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