California school districts will soon be required to create policies that limit or ban smartphone use by students, thanks to a new bill passed by the state Legislature on Wednesday.
The bill, Assembly Bill 3216, received broad bipartisan support and now awaits approval from Gov. Gavin Newsom. Earlier this summer, Newsom called for a statewide smartphone ban in schools and recently urged schools to impose restrictions before the new academic year starts.
Folsom Republican Josh Hoover, the bill’s author, expressed optimism about the impact on students. If signed into law, the bill will give districts until July 2026 to implement the new policies and will require periodic updates.
The Los Angeles Unified School District has already banned cell phone use during school hours, and some districts in the Sacramento area have similar restrictions. Other states have also passed laws limiting or banning cellphone use in schools.
Sen. Angelique Ashby, a Democrat from Sacramento, opposed the bill. As a mother with a child in middle school, she is concerned about her child’s safety during emergencies, such as school shootings, if smartphones are banned.
The California School Boards Association also opposed the measure, arguing it undermines local control over school policies. However, the California Teachers Association supported the bill, citing concerns about phones being a major distraction in classrooms. State Superintendent Tony Thurmond has also advocated for limiting cell phone use in schools.