Pennsylvania Enacts Bell-to-Bell Cellphone Ban in K-12 Schools
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has signed a new statewide law, Senate Bill 1014, enacting a "bell-to-bell" ban on cellphone use in all K-12 public and private schools across the commonwealth. The law aims to reduce distractions, improve student focus on…
Harrisburg Lancaster Lebanon York, PA, October 27, 2026 —
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has signed Senate Bill 1014, establishing a statewide “bell-to-bell” cellphone ban for students in public and private K-12 schools. The law requires school districts to adopt policies prohibiting cellphone use during the school day before the 2027-2028 school year.
The ban applies across the commonwealth and includes exceptions for medical needs and disability accommodations. The summary of the law does not specify how those exceptions will be requested or handled, or what enforcement measures districts must include in their policies.
The stated aims of the law include reducing distractions, improving students’ focus on learning and social skills, and addressing mental health concerns. Those goals are described in the summary, which does not provide additional details about the evidence or arguments cited by lawmakers in support of the measure.
The requirement gives districts a deadline to adopt policies before the 2027-2028 school year. The summary does not provide a specific effective date, explain whether districts may set additional rules, or describe how the law will be monitored statewide. It also does not identify any implementation guidance issued to schools.
Senate Bill 1014 covers both public and private K-12 schools, while assigning school districts the responsibility of adopting policies that prohibit cellphone use during the school day. Further details about policy requirements, including how schools should address the stated exceptions, were not provided in the available summary.
Story summarized from the original created by Whitney Downard, Pennsylvania Capital-Star on www.witf.org, see more information here.
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