Overview
- Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro urged lawmakers to pass a statewide bell-to-bell prohibition, noting a bipartisan Senate committee bill advanced in December and the teachers’ union PSEA now supports a mandate.
- Michigan’s Legislature moved bipartisan K–12 bills restricting phones during instructional time with lopsided votes in both chambers, positioning the package for final action.
- Georgia’s House Bill 1009 would extend the new K–8 bell-to-bell ban to high schools, with debate expected soon and a proposed start in July 2027 if enacted.
- Maryland’s proposed Phone-Free Schools Act would prohibit use during instructional periods beginning in the 2027–28 school year, with exemptions for education, health needs and emergencies.
- A new grading by the Institute for Families and Technology gave North Dakota and Rhode Island top marks for bell-to-bell bans with inaccessible storage, while a USC survey found most teens report no social downsides and strong parent and teen support for restrictions as mental-health evidence remains limited.