Legislation that would prohibit student cell phone use during the school day has been moved to the full state Senate for approval.

The Pennsylvania Senate Education Committee advanced Senate Bill 1014, sponsored by Democrats Devlin Robinson, Vince Hughes and Steve Santarsiero to require public schools across the commonwealth to adopt policies prohibiting student cellphone use during the school day. The legislation received unanimous approval by committee members.

“The evidence is overwhelming — student cellphone use in schools is harming learning, social skills, and emotional well-being,” Santersario, Robinson and Hughes said in a statement. “Today’s bipartisan vote reflects a shared commitment to creating healthier, more focused school environments where students can learn without constant digital interruption.”

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The bill would require each school district to develop its own “bell-to-bell” cellphone policy, but the standard will be consistent statewide: students may not use cellphones during the school day. Districts retain flexibility to choose the enforcement method that works best for their communities. The bill includes exceptions for medical needs, IEPs requiring a communication device, English-language learners using translation apps, and limited instructional use with teacher and administrator permission.

Committee approval of the legislation was supported by the Pennsylvania State Education Association. Jeff Ney, PSEA vice president, said Senate Bill 1014 establishes a statewide expectation that public schools will prohibit student use and restrict student possession of mobile devices from the beginning bell of the day until dismissal.

“Mobile devices, like smartphones and watches, disrupt students from learning during the school day,” Ney said. “They contribute to students cheating, and they fuel cyberbullying and mental health risks for our students. Your average teenager gets 237 texts per day. Think about just how distracting that is during a seven-hour school day when students are supposed to be focused on their learning. Greater access to mobile devices and social media has also occurred alongside a precipitous rise in mental health issues, like depression, anxiety, and a lack of emotional regulation.”

Rep. Kathy Rapp, R-Warren, said after a recent state House joint committee hearing on cell phones in school that she still has concerns to be addressed as legislation state lawmakers begin discussing legislation that has been drafted that would add Pennsylvania to the list of schools that limit cell phone use in schools. Rapp was one of the lawmakers who took part in the hearing, which included testimony from a mix of educators, psychologists and state education officials.

The Warren Republican said she still has concerns, including the cost of any potential storage solutions, such as lockboxes; deciding who takes responsibility if a student’s phone is lost, stolen or damaged while in the school’s possession; and a parent’s right to be able to contact their child in case of an emergency. Any legislation would need to account for certain exceptions that include medical issues, students for whom English is a second language and who use cell phones to translate; and students with special education plans. Rapp said she also has concerns over the state influencing an area that has traditionally been a parent’s responsibility.

“In the end, parents can limit where their children can take their phones, and if a parent doesn’t want their child to take their phone to school, that is a decision the parent can make,” Rapp said. “Each school district is in a better position to know what type of policy fits their district and their students. The best course of action may be to enact a law to require each school district to have a cell phone policy, so that ultimately the policy is up to each school district.”