California Governor Gavin Newsom on September 23 signed into law a bill requiring schools to limit or ban students from using smartphones.
New laws restricting or banning students from using smartphones in schools come amid growing consensus that excessive smartphone use can increase the risk of mental illness and affect learning.
This year, 13 other US states have banned or restricted cell phones in schools or recommended that local educational institutions do so, after Florida took the lead in banning cell phones in classrooms by 2023, according to Education Week.
California, with nearly 5.9 million public school students, has followed the lead of Los Angeles County, where the school board banned smartphones for its 429,000 students in June.
Also in June, US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called for warning labels on social media platforms — similar to the warning labels on cigarette packs — likening the issue to a mental health emergency.
Murthy cited a study in the medical journal JAMA that found teens who spend more than three hours a day on social media may be at higher risk for mental illness. He also mentioned a Gallup poll that found the average teen spends 4.8 hours a day on social media.
The California bill passed 76-0 in the Assembly and 38-1 in the Senate. Under the new law, schools or administrators must develop a policy to limit or prohibit student smartphone use on school grounds starting July 1, 2026, and update the policy every five years.
“We know that excessive smartphone use increases anxiety, depression and other mental health issues, and we have the power to intervene. This new law will help students focus on their learning, social development and the world in front of them, not on their computer screens when they are in school,” California Governor Newsom said in a statement.
