HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania public schools are one step closer to prohibiting student mobile device use throughout the school day after the state Senate passed Senate Bill 1014 on Wednesday by a 47-3 vote.
The legislation requires all public school entities across the Commonwealth to adopt "bell-to-bell" policies prohibiting student cell phone use during instructional hours, lunch, and passing periods by the start of the 2027-28 academic year. While establishing a uniform statewide prohibition, the measure preserves local control by permitting individual school boards, administrators, and educators to determine how storage and enforcement mechanisms are implemented within their respective districts. Specific statutory exemptions are built into the bill for medical management, English Language Learners requiring translation assistance, Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), and approved instructional uses.
Aaron Chapin, president of the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA), commended lawmakers for advancing the bipartisan measure, emphasizing that restricting mobile devices will directly mitigate classroom distractions and alleviate student mental health pressures stemming from social media. Chapin noted that leaving storage choices to local communities ensures that district leaders, teachers, parents, and students can tailor enforcement to fit their local school environments.
Having cleared both legislative chambers, Senate Bill 1014 now heads to Governor Josh Shapiro, who previously voiced support for statewide school cell phone restrictions in his executive budget address and is expected to sign the bill into law.
