Children and adolescents won’t be allowed to use personal cellphones in public schools starting next fall after the General Assembly overwhelmingly supported banning the devices in elementary and middle schools.
House Bill 340 passed the Georgia Senate on Tuesday in a 54-2 vote, after the state House of Representatives approved it with strong bipartisan support earlier in March. Gov. Brian Kemp will soon decide whether to sign the measure into law.
Dubbed the “Distraction-Free Education Act,” the bill requires schools to develop policies that allow parents to reach their children—such as by calling the principal’s office—and provides exemptions for students with disabilities or medical conditions that require cellphone use for learning or health reasons, like checking glucose levels.
Starting in July 2026, however, all other students would be required to hand over or lock up their devices from the first bell of the school day until the final dismissal.
