Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday signed a bill that restricts the use of smartphones on school campuses in California.
Assembly Bill 3216, known as the Phone-Free School Act, would require every school district, charter school, and county office of education to adopt a policy limiting or prohibiting the use of phones by July 1, 2026.
“This new law will help students focus on academics, social development, and the world in front of them, not their screens, when they’re in school,” said Newsom in a press release.
According to the bill, students will be allowed to use their phones in case of an emergency, or a “perceived threat of danger.” Newsom had also signed a law in 2019 granting districts the authority to regulate student smartphone access during school hours.
A survey released by the Pew Research Center found that 72% of high school and 33% of middle school teachers reported cell phone distractions as a major problem. Another study provided by Common Sense Media showed that 97% of students used their cell phones for at least 43 minutes during school hours.
Earlier in August, Newsom sent a letter to school districts, urging them to restrict students’ use of smartphones on campus.
“Every classroom should be a place of focus, learning, and growth,” Newsom said in his letter. “Working together, educators, administrators, and parents can create an environment where students are fully engaged in their education, free from the distractions on the phones and pressures of social media.”
The new law makes California the fifth state in the country with a cellphone use ban.
