Pa. House approves bill to restrict cellphones in schools
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives approved a bill Monday that would restrict the use of cellphones by students in the state’s schools.
The measure would prevent students from having or using a cellphone from “bell-to-bell.” It would require students to secure their phones so that they cannot access them until the end of the school day. The legislation resembles a bill that was approved by the state Senate in February.
It was approved in the closely divided state House on a 125-75 vote. In this region, state Reps. Tim O’Neal, Joshua Kail, Andrew Kuzma, Jason Ortitay and Ryan Warner supported it, while Natalie Mihalek, Bud Cook and Charity Grimm Krupa voted against it.
Gov. Josh Shapiro has supported a school cellphone ban, and if a bell-to-bell ban is enacted, Pennsylvania will join 29 other states that prohibit the use of phones by students throughout the day.
The prime sponsor of the bill, state Rep. Mandy Steele, a Democrat whose district includes Fox Chapel, Aspinwall and Tarentum, said, “It’s taken a lot of hard work to get this bill to this point, but it’s been worth the effort.”
She continued, “Research shows that unfettered access to devices is harming our children, and many educators tell me this bill is desperately needed.”
School districts in the commonwealth are currently able to set their own rules regarding cellphone use, with some banning them and others allowing students to carry them. Steele said she thinks a statewide standard is necessary.
The House bill will now go to the state Senate for consideration.