A Pittsburgh-area state representative wants to ban cell phones in Pennsylvania’s schools.

Rep. Anthony DeLuca, D-Pittsburgh, has formally introduced House Bill 2746, which would prohibit cell phone use by students in schools. School districts will be able to develop their own policies for approval by the state Department of Education.

“Recently, Penn Hills School District, in my hometown, began a pilot program at Linton Middle School banning cell phones, with positive results in student engagement and in school culture,” DeLuca wrote in his legislative memorandum. “Students dropped their phones off in special locked boxes during homeroom and retrieved them at the end of the day.”

Penn Hills High School, a school district in DeLuca’s district, is starting a similar policy in the fall. Students can keep their cell phones with them but have to put them in a Yondr box, a case that closes with a lock that can only be released with a mechanism similar to the device that removes clothing tags in stores. Students lock their devices in the case before coming to school and can unlock them at exit points on the way out of the building.

According to the bill’s text, students would be exempted from the legislation is they are a member of a volunteer fire company, ambulance or rescue squad; need their cell phone due to the medical condition of an immediate family member or if a school administrator approves of the possession and use of the phone by the student during the school day.

“Studies in the U.S., Spain, and Norway have all shown a positive impact on academic achievement when cell phones are prohibited during the school day,” DeLuca wrote. “With smartphone technology becoming more addicting, and with social media having a toxic impact on the mental health of young people, I believe we should not permit the use of such devices in schools. This bill will allow students to be focused on their education without the distractions that come with cell phones.”

Earlier this year, the Associated Press reported that a Connecticut high school saw student protests over a similar policy. Fire alarms were pulled at Torrington High School, prompting officials to cancel classes for the rest of the day and send students home early. No arrests were reported, but school officials said students who violated the code of conduct will be disciplined. Students say they use their phones during the day to make appointments with guidance counselors, to study and help them cope with stress.