Pennsylvania Lawmakers Pass School Cell Phone Ban

Pennsylvania lawmakers have passed a bill that would ban cellphones in schools, legislation that Gov. Josh Shapiro has pledged to sign.

The State Senate approved the bill 47-3 on Wednesday after the State House passed it earlier this week by a 141-62 vote.

The bill would require schools to adopt policies prohibiting phones during the school day, with some exemptions.

Exceptions would be made for:

Students or immediate family members with certain medical conditions

English as a second language learners who use cellphones for translation purposes

Single-day special occasions like field days or science fairs

Students with individualized education plans that require the use of a personal communication device

Very limited instances for teachers who want to use cellphones as instructional tools with approval by the school principal.