SB399

Senate Bill 399 proposes to establish state-wide standards regarding the use of cellular telephones and communication devices within Arkansas courthouses and courtrooms. The bill mandates that individuals generally cannot be prohibited from bringing these devices into courthouses or courtrooms. It allows for the use of such devices in common areas of courthouses, including voice calls and text messaging. While the bill limits the ability of courts to restrict device usage, it maintains judicial authority to require silenced devices and prohibit talking inside an active courtroom. Certain exceptions are provided: courts may restrict the use of devices for entertainment purposes for parties to a proceeding and their legal counsel, and jurors are explicitly excluded from these protections, remaining subject to the court's specific directives during their service.