TOPEKA, Kan. (KCTV) – Cell phones could be banned in every Kansas classroom – including during lunch and recess – under a bipartisan bill that has enough support to pass the Senate in weeks.
Kansas Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes (D-Lenexa) and Senate Majority Leader Chase Blasi (R-Andale) announced the introduction of Senate Bill 302 on Tuesday, Jan. 6.
The Senators say the legislation would bar students from using personal cell phones during the entire school day at all accredited public and private K-12 schools.
“Phone-free schools give students space to think, build authentic human relationships, and protect student mental health from constant digital pressure,” Blasi said. “The longer phones stay in classrooms, the harder it becomes to undo the damage.”
The bill already has 28 co-sponsors – more than the 2/3 majority needed to pass the Senate. Sykes said the legislation is a high priority and could pass by the end of January before heading to the House.
What the bill would do
Under Senate Bill 302, students would be required to turn off their phones and store them in an inaccessible location during instructional time, including:
- All classroom time
- Lunch periods
- Recess
- Passing periods between classes
Students would only be allowed to use their phones during the school day under three circumstances:
- Medical necessity approved by a licensed physician
- Educational needs required by an individualized education program or 504 plan
- Educational purposes approved by the school
To contact parents or guardians during the school day, the bill states students would have to use school phones designated for that purpose.
What schools must do
Under the bill, each school district and accredited private school would be required to:
- Adopt policies prohibiting student cell phone use during instructional time
- Create enforcement procedures and disciplinary actions for violations
- Ban school employees from privately messaging students on social media platforms
- Submit certification to the Kansas State Board of Education by Sept. 1, 2026, confirming the adoption of required policies
The bill would only not apply to virtual schools.
Why lawmakers say the ban is needed
“Studies show that classrooms without phones have more engaged students, leading to face-to-face conversations, stronger peer relationships, safer school environments and better academic outcomes,” Sykes said. “Kansas has world-class teachers and world-class schools and we need to keep it that way and this legislation helps us do that.”
Leaders from both parties say they worked together to draft the legislation.
Ban already in effect in several school districts
Several Kansas districts, including Topeka Public Schools, the Shawnee Mission School District, the Olathe School District and Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools already have their own bans in effect.
Currently, more than half of all U.S. States have enacted laws or policies that ban or restrict cell phone usage in schools.
What happens next
The bill is expected to be voted on in the Senate by the end of January. If it passes, it will move to the Kansas House of Representatives for consideration.
If signed into law, school districts would have until September 2026 – in time for the new school year – to implement the new policies.
To read the full text of the legislation, click HERE.
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