After three and a half hours of debate, the House of Representatives today passed a bill requiring Connecticut school districts to institute a bell-to-bell cell phone ban by a vote of 117 to 31.
“Thank you to the state representatives who supported this legislation and affirmed the need for a consistent, statewide standard that makes clear cell phones do not belong in our children’s hands during the school day,” CEA Vice President Joslyn DeLancey said. “We urge the Senate to take up and pass this bill before the legislative session concludes on May 6.”
While representatives’ comments were overwhelming in support of the need for cellphones to be removed from the learning environment, some legislators rejected the notion that there was a need for a state mandate and argued that policies should be left up to districts to develop. Educators and other supporters have argued that the current lack of consistency in district cell phone policies creates confusion and that it’s helpful for districts to have a state law as a backstop to help enforce local policies.
“We have heard from districts that have a total ban in place that it’s been overwhelmingly positive,” said Education Committee co-Chair Rep. Jennifer Leeper. “This is a meaningful step to restore some balance in the technology kids engage with during their school day to ensure it’s purposeful to further their learning.”
House Bill 5035, An Act Requiring School Districts to Ban Cellular Phones in the Classroom, calls for a bell-to-bell ban but does not mandate how cell phones should be stored and leaves other similar considerations up to districts. Unlike many current district policies, the bill would prohibit phones during passing periods and lunch time. It does carve out exceptions for students whose IEPs, 504 plans, or health plans require the use of cell phones.
CEA has joined with AFT Connecticut, The Anxious Generation Movement, Distraction Free Schools Policy Project, and the Becca Schmill Foundation this year to form The Phone-Free CT Coalition. The partners have aimed to ensure that legislators adopt a comprehensive, bell-to-bell phone-free schools mandate for students in this year’s legislative session.
CEA has recommended that the process of developing district-wide phone-free policies be transparent and inclusive of parents, students, teachers, health professionals, law enforcement, and the leaders of collective bargaining organizations representing school employees.
“This will make for a more robust policy that is tailored to the needs of a given school district,” DeLancey said. “Stakeholder input is necessary to address the concerns of families and other members of the school community, and it supports the establishment of clear metrics for data collection, impact measurement, and annual evaluation of district policies.”
“It’s a mental health bill, it’s a safety bill,” said Rep. Amy Romano, who said she came to understand the importance of cell phone bans in schools during her time serving on her local board of education. She said her own son faced consequences for using his cell phone in violation of district policy, and she ultimately felt he learned an important lesson by missing out on playing in a football game.
“Our priority is the well being of our students. Every child deserves an equitable education and that means being in a learning environment that allows them to focus, participate, and succeed,” Romano said.
Rep. Robin Comey shared that in Branford, which has instituted a bell-to-bell ban, results have been overwhelmingly positive.
“We’ve seen measurable improvements in peer interactions, increased student engagement, and greater teacher satisfaction,” she said. “Classrooms are more focused, transitions are smoother, and students are rediscovering conversation and human connection.”
She added, “While I recognize that there is no one-size-fits all policy that we can pass, I can assure my colleagues that our experience in Branford has been both practical and beneficial. Our students and staff are adapting quickly, and families understand the rationale.”
Governor Lamont has been a proponent of the legislation, and if the Senate passes the bill before the close of session the new legislation would go into effect for the 2027-2028 school year.
