Bell-to-bell cell phone ban moves in House and Senate committees

by Anna Barrett, Alabama Reflector
February 27, 2025

The House and Senate education policy committees approved identical bills on Wednesday that would ban cell phones in public K-12 schools from “bell to bell.”

SB 92, sponsored by Sen. Donnie Chesteen, R-Geneva, and HB 166, sponsored by Rep. Leigh Hulsey, R-Helena, requires all local school boards to develop and implement cell phone policies that require students to store devices for the entirety of the school day. Pike Road Junior High Principal Christy Wright told lawmakers about her school’s cell phone ban using Yondr pouches.

“Without cell phones being there, it was clear that there was much more peer interaction happening, deeper discussions. Even just in the hallways, the interaction between our students changed our culture some,” Wright told the Senate Education Policy Committee Wednesday. “They also noticed, obviously, more in-depth instructional time, more academic engagement, and also just an overall confidence in our students.”

Wright said the school got the pouches through a grant, but if one is damaged or lost, students must pay for the $30 pouch to be replaced. She said students turn off their phones and place them in the pouches and lock them with a magnet as they enter the building. They cannot access the magnet again until the end of the school day, she said, with exceptions for emergencies. 

“If there is an emergency, the parent is to call the front office. The front office immediately gets in touch with the child,” Wright said.

Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, expressed concern on how school districts would afford storage for cell phones.

“I represent two to three largest school systems in the whole state of Alabama, that is Jefferson County and Birmingham. We’re talking about thousands of students,” Smitherman said. 

Although Pike Road Junior High School uses Yondr pouches, the legislation does not dictate how devices will be put away. That is left to the discretion of local school boards, according to the bill.

“It could be stored in a locker, car or similar storage device, and that’s simply up to the local boards of education as to what they basically can afford,” Chesteen said. 

State Superintendent Eric Mackey said in early February there are about 20 school districts that have a total ban. 

“It is also not just dealing with the cell phones — which I call supercomputers in a student’s pocket — but it’s really talking about social media, and that is the issue,” Mackey said on Feb. 13. “We can’t lose sight that the issue is not the device.”

Alabama Department of Mental Health Commissioner Kimberly Boswel spoke to the House Education Policy Committee about how cell phones and the use of social media affect youth anxiety, depression and self harm.

“We saw depression increase from 2010 to 2020, 145% in girls and 161% in boys,” Boswel said. 

She said social media causes social deprivation, sleep deprivation, attention fragmentation and addiction.

“We have shifted from the play-based childhood that we all experienced to a phone-based childhood,” Boswel said. “What we want to get back to is connection and community, and really helping our kids be as mentally healthy as they can be.”

According to a study by the University of California, it takes about 23 minutes and 15 seconds to regain focus after a distraction. Adrianna Harrington, managing director of policy for ExcelinEd, applied this information to a student receiving a mobile notification while in school. She said 50% of students get 240 notification per day.

“If you do the math, it’s not mathing,” Harrington said. “You can’t focus.”

In addressing concerns of safety, including school shootings, Hulsey told the House committee that school resource officers are supportive of cell phone bans. According to a consulting company for school safety, cell phone use can escalate an emergency by overloading emergency services and distracting students from the emergency itself. In addition, contact with parents can cause unnecessary crowds during an emergency.

But the legislation includes exceptions for when a student can access and use their devices. Hulsey said under the legislation cell phones could be used in emergency situations, by students with Individualized Education Plans and Section 504 plans, and when necessary for instructional purposes.

The legislation also requires an annual survey for compliance and implementation. Starting in the 2026-27 school year, schools that fail to achieve the minimum compliance must give up 30% of their common purchase funds, Hulsey said. Though Hulsey said she would be OK with more punitive measures.

“I think this is a fair compromise,” she said.

The legislation also requires an internet safety education program to be completed before a student starts eighth grade. Chesteen said the State Board of Education would be responsible for creating the program on the risks and benefits of social media.

Mackey said he would create an internet safety course even if the bills did not pass. 

“We’re already beginning those discussions in anticipation that the bill passes,” he said on Feb. 13. “I would say if the bill doesn’t pass, we’re still going to do it. It just won’t have the force of law behind it.”

Both bills received unanimous approval. HB 166 will now go to the full House, and SB 92 will go to the full Senate. 

Alabama Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alabama Reflector maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Brian Lyman for questions: info@alabamareflector.com.

The post Bell-to-bell cell phone ban moves in House and Senate committees appeared first on alabamareflector.com