Essex County Lawmakers Cheer For Statewide School Phone Ban

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — New Jersey’s new school phone ban for students has finally crossed the finish line, and several state lawmakers from Essex County are cheering it on – including Democrats and Republicans.

On Thursday, Gov. Phil Murphy signed a bill that requires all K-12 districts to adopt policies restricting students’ use of cell phones and other internet-enabled devices, such as smart watches, tablets and laptops.

District policies must roll out for the 2026–2027 school year.

The new law requires the state Commissioner of Education to publish guidelines on restricting students’ use of cell phones and other internet-enabled devices during regular school hours, on a school bus or during school-sanctioned events.

Local boards of education will be required to adopt policies that align with the statewide K–12 guidelines. Board policies must prohibit the “non-academic use” of phones and other devices on school grounds during the school day.

There are exceptions for “educational purposes,” translation purposes and as accommodations for disabled students.

The bipartisan bill, S3695/A4882, received crucial support from several sponsors in Essex County along the way.

“This bill will help ensure that students are fully engaged in learning while they are in the classroom,” said Assemblywoman Rosy Bagolie, a Democrat from the 27th district who has worked as a teacher and a school administrator.

Bagolie, a primary sponsor of the bill in the Assembly, said the ban is a response to demands from parents, teachers and principals.

“While internet-enabled devices such as smart phones and tablets can be useful tools, the rise of social media has unfortunately caused significant harm to our learning environments,” said Bagolie, who represents towns including Livingston, Millburn, Montclair, Roseland and West Orange.

Assemblywoman Carmen Theresa Morales, another prime sponsor of the bill from Essex County, said the law will give local school boards some important guidance as they roll out their own policies.

“Young people depend on adults to make responsible decisions that support their learning and long-term success,” said Morales, who represents the 34th district (Belleville, Bloomfield, East Orange, Glen Ridge, Nutley, Orange).

Across the aisle, Sen. Kristin Corrado – a Republican from the 40th district – also cheered for the new ban.

“In today’s day and age, cell phones and social media have advanced far from their original concepts and, unfortunately, have been widely reported as heavy contributors to the youth mental health crisis,” she said.

“With this policy, students will be able to better focus on their schoolwork and we can help ensure our children do not fall victim to the perils of social media at such a young age,” said Corrado, who represents towns including Caldwell, Essex Fells, Fairfield, North Caldwell, Verona and West Caldwell.

Aside from the sponsors of the bill, other Essex County legislators have been rallying behind the new ban.

“Distractions are abundant in our digital age, making it difficult for students to disconnect from social media, gaming, and other online activities to focus on learning,” Sen. Teresa Ruiz said.

According to Ruiz, the Senate majority leader, schools should be “incubators for academic growth” above all else.

“By requiring districts to develop policies limiting cell phone access in the classroom, we can create more productive learning environments, improve student outcomes, and give power back to teachers and school leaders,” said Ruiz, who represents the state’s 29th district, including Newark.

New Jersey Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill – an Essex County resident – also said she supports the ban.

“Our young people are facing a mental health crisis, but we all know that when children put the screens down, their mental health and academic results improve,” Sherrill said.

“I look forward to implementing this important legislation and continuing to make progress on kids' online safety and holding Big Tech accountable for the content they push toward our kids,” she added.

Politicians aren’t the only ones from Essex County who are cheering for Thursday’s bill signing. The news also got a big thumbs-up from local advocacy group Screen Aware Montclair, which called it a “common sense” policy.

“We look forward to seeing the New Jersey Department of Education’s recommendations, and strongly encourage the adoption of bell-to-bell cell phone policies that keep cell phones out of the schools during the entirety of the school day,” said Jordan Goldberg, a leader of the group.

• Read More: NJ School Phone Ban Signed Into Law By Governor Murphy

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