TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WWSB) — Florida students will soon face new limits on cell phone use in the classroom after a new Florida law that recently went into effect.
House Bill 1105 expands current restrictions, barring elementary and middle school students from using cell phones throughout the entire school day.
The measure, tucked into a broader education package, passed during the final hours of the 2025 legislative session.
Until now, state law only prohibited cell phone use during instructional time. This new rule goes further.
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Sen. Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills, who sponsored the legislation, said the goal is to evaluate how expanded bans affect student learning and safety, particularly in high schools.
“What we are doing is studying, based upon districts that would elect to participate in a total cell phone ban during the school day, what those impacts are,” Burgess said. “Maybe the benefits, some of the fallbacks, and just sort of the holistic impacts of those in the high school setting, understanding that there is a different dynamic there.”
The bill creates a pilot program in six high schools across Florida. Two small counties, two mid-sized, and two large ones will be selected by the Florida Department of Education to implement full-day bans. The goal is to gather data on how a complete restriction might work in different settings.
Not everyone supports the idea.
Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, voiced concern about how the ban might affect students during off-campus activities or in emergencies.
“Let’s be realistic that the standards are not the same as when we were in high school, middle school, and elementary school,” Eskamani said. “I just want to acknowledge that you just cannot compare this to the past. Things are very different today.”
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Supporters argue the ban could actually improve emergency responses by keeping communication lines open for first responders.
Rep. Demi Busatta, R-Coral Gables, said schools have long had ways for parents to reach students.
“Our parents were able to get a hold of us when they needed to. They would call the front desk,” she said. “It’s the same thing on a field trip.”
She also emphasized the need for students to stay focused on staff instructions during a crisis.
“In an emergency, the most important thing is that the student is paying attention to the teacher. We also want to make sure that, in an emergency, students are not jamming up necessary lines that first responders need to utilize.”
The new restrictions are set to take effect this coming school year.
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