Overview

• Introduced Friday, Senate Bill 1014 would bar student cellphone use on school grounds during homeroom, classes, lunch and recess beginning in the 2026–27 school year if enacted.
• The proposal applies to public and parochial K–12 schools and mandates a bell-to-bell phone-free school day.
• The bill is sponsored by Sens. Devlin Robinson, Vincent Hughes and Steve Santarsiero in a bipartisan effort.
• Local districts would design their own policies with exceptions for documented medical needs, IEP/504 accommodations, English learners using translation apps and brief teacher-approved instructional use.
• Sponsors cite declines in youth mental health and academic performance and point to similar moves in New York and Ohio as well as reports of improved engagement in Pennsylvania schools that already restrict phones.