HARRISBURG – Senator Dan Laughlin (R-49) announced the Pennsylvania Senate has passed legislation requiring public schools across the commonwealth to adopt policies limiting student cellphone use during the school day. Senate Bill 1014 aims to reduce classroom distractions, improve academic performance, and address growing concerns surrounding student mental health and social development.
“Over the past year, I’ve heard directly from educators and administrators across Erie County about how disruptive cellphones have become in the classroom,” Laughlin said. “At meetings with local school leaders, one message has been clear: schools need flexibility to develop policies that actually work for their students and communities. Given the wide range of school sizes and needs across our region, a one-size-fits-all mandate simply wouldn’t be effective.”
The bill requires each school district to adopt a bell-to-bell cellphone policy that limits student access during the school day while following a consistent statewide standard. Importantly, districts retain local control over how those policies are enforced, allowing school leaders to choose the approach that best fits their communities.
Senate Bill 1014 includes exceptions for students with medical needs, individualized education programs (IEPs) that require a communication device, English-language learners using translation applications, and instructional use when permitted by a teacher.
Schools, educators, and parents across Pennsylvania have increasingly raised concerns about the impact smartphones are having on student focus, mental health, and social development. Research shows a troubling rise in anxiety, depression, and cyberbullying among young people that coincides with the widespread adoption of smartphones.
Since the early 2010s, teen depression rates have increased by approximately 150 percent, and suicide rates among children ages 10 to 14 tripled between 2007 and 2021, with the steepest increases among girls. Today, teens spend nearly eight hours per day on screens and receive an average of 237 notifications daily. Nearly half of U.S. teens report experiencing cyberbullying, and more than one-quarter say social media makes their lives worse.
If enacted, Pennsylvania would join 27 states that have adopted student cellphone restrictions, including 18 states with bell-to-bell bans.
“This legislation strikes the right balance,” Laughlin said. “It sets a clear expectation that classrooms should be places for learning, not constant digital distraction, while still respecting local control and the unique needs of each school district.”
The bill now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.
CONTACT:
Chris Carroll | Phone: 814-453-2515