HARRISBURG — A bill to restrict cell phone access in Pennsylvania schools has passed in the state House.
House Bill 1814 passed with bipartisan support on Monday with a 126-75 vote.
Click here to see which representatives voted for or against this bill.
Students will be required to secure their phones in “a way that prevents access until the end of the day, with exceptions for certain emergency medical needs approved by school administrators.” This process is also referred to as a “bell-to-bell” ban or an “away for a day” policy.
The bill is sponsored by Representative Mandy Steele (D), who serves Allegheny County in the 33rd district.
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“Our children need this bill,” Steele said. “It’s taken a lot of hard work to get this bill to this point, but it’s been worth the effort. Research shows that unfettered access to devices is harming our children, and many educators tell me this bill is desperately needed.”
Several schools across our area have already introduced cell phone bans, but a statewide precedent has not been set.
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Lawmakers said 29 states are currently enforcing their own bans.
The bill will now head to the Senate for a vote.
Similarly, Pennsylvania Senator Devlin Robinson (R) sponsored a bill in the Senate. That legislation also calls for a bell-to-bell cell phone ban.
Senate Bill 1014 passed the Senate in February. It was sent to the House for a vote. It has received some amendments.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro is calling on both the House and the Senate to get the bills to his desk.
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