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The following was submitted by the Office of Sen. Jason Lewis:
On July 8, Sen. Jason Lewis and the Senate members of the Joint Committee on Education voted in favor of a bill requiring all public school districts to implement student policies that restrict the use of cell phones and other personal electronic devices during the school day.
Extensive research shows the myriad of negative effects linked to student cell phone use, including diminished academic performance, poorer mental health, worse relationship building and social skills, reduced safety during emergencies, and more.
According to Pew Research, 72% of high school teachers consider cell phones a “major problem” in the classroom.
An act to promote student learning and mental health, drafted by Lewis who is the Senate Chair of the Education Committee, draws from multiple bills filed at the beginning of this legislative session to address the issue of student cell phone use in schools. The bill now moves forward in the legislative process after a unanimous, bipartisan vote in the Education Committee.
“Numerous studies have shown the many benefits to student learning and well-being by removing cell phones from their educational environment,” said Lewis. “We have growing support for action from parents, teachers, students, advocates, and state leaders like Gov. [Maura] Healey, Senate President [Karen] Spilka, and Attorney General [Andrea Joy] Campbell, and I am very hopeful to see quick movement on this bill as it continues through the legislative process.”
The bill directs local school districts to implement “bell-to-bell” restrictions on student cell phone use during the school day, but allows districts to provide exceptions for student health and safety reasons, for students with disabilities or multilingual learners who need such devices, and for other reasonable exceptions. Schools would also have to provide a way for parents to contact their children during the school day and vice versa.
Policies must be in place and enforced starting with the 2026-27 school year. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is required to assist districts with guidance and model policies.
The bill now moves to the Senate Ways and Means Committee, and is expected to be debated and passed by the full Senate later this month.
