CA Legislature Passes Bill To Restrict Student Cell Phone Use

Sacramento, CA — A bipartisan bill easily passed through the California legislature that would require school districts to put in place restrictions on student cell phone use while they are either on campus or under the supervision of school officials.

The Phone Free Schools Act mandates districts to develop and adopt policies to either prohibit or limit smartphone use before July 1, 2026. The bill had a late amendment that allows districts to use “enforcement mechanisms” to ensure the success of the policies.

The bill now moves to Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk for consideration. He is likely to sign it, as earlier this month he encouraged lawmakers to pass legislation to scale back student cell phone use. It came after the US Surgeon General put out warnings about the negative mental health impacts of youth cell phone use. Both Mother Lode Republican Senator Marie Alvarado Gil and Republican Assemblyman Jim Patterson voted in favor of the bill.

This is the final week for lawmakers to vote on bills this legislative session.

Some of the other high-profile pieces of legislation to pass include regulations on Artificial intelligence and a bill to allow undocumented immigrants to be eligible for state assistance on home loans.