School Cell Phone Use Bill Under Discussion In Bucks Co.

LOWER BUCKS COUNTY – A bill on how to eliminate cell phone use in schools will be discussed during a webinar on Tuesday night.

State Sen. Steve Santarsiero (D-10) was among state legislators who introduced a bill in October for a "bell-to-bell policy" prohibiting students from using cell phones and other non-academic smart devices during the school day, with certain exceptions.

Those exceptions would be for medical conditions, IEPs, English language learners needing translation apps, and principal/teacher-approved instructional use.

Sentarsiero is hosting a Zoom webinar at 7 p.m. Tuesday to discuss the impact of cell phones in schools.

Recent studies are showing that constant smartphone use is harming kids academically, socially, and emotionally.

Teens now spend nearly eight hours a day on their phones, equivalent to a full-time job, and receive an average of 237 notifications daily, studies state. This nonstop connectivity is linked to serious mental health challenges in early adulthood, including anxiety, aggression, emotional instability, and suicidal thoughts.

Many states have already enacted laws to keep schools cell phone-free, and they see children focusing more on learning, developing meaningful relationships with their peers, and improving childhood mental health.

School districts throughout Bucks County and the Philadelphia region have also begun to address and revise their cell phone policies.

“We can no longer ignore the impact phones are having on students and our schools," said Santarsiero, who introduced the bill with state Sens Vincent Hughes (D-7) and Devlin Robinson (R-37).

Each school district would craft its own implementation plan after public comment and community input, according to the bill.

The bill was introduced with discussions and support from educators and parents in late 2025. It would need to pass the House and Senate to become law for the next school year.

"We want to make sure we’re protecting our students while maintaining local control over how this law would be implemented," the senator said.”

Santarsiero will be joined by Kirstin McGowan, a local parent and advocate with Wait Until 8th and PA Unplugged; Christie Besack, a psychology teacher at Central Bucks West High School, and Dr. Mitch Prinstein, who serves as chief of psychology at the American Psychological Association.

The event is free and open to all community members.

Interested attendees can RSVP here and submit your questions in advance. The link to join the webinar will be sent out one day prior to the event on December 8th.