Opinion: Senator Steve Santarsiero
The Pennsylvania Senate passed SB1014 Last week, legislation was passed to create bell-to-bell cellphone-free classrooms in primary and secondary schools across the commonwealth. When Senator Devlin Robinson (R–37), Senator Vincent Hughes (D–7), and I wrote the bill, we worked with many stakeholders to address the concerns of parents, teachers, administrators, and school board members. This policy was not born in Harrisburg, but based on the lived experiences of parents, teachers and students who have seen firsthand how constant access to cell phones changes the school day.
SB 1014 is a common-sense, science-backed answer to a problem that families and educators have raised for years: phones in classrooms hinder student learning, concentration and well-being. Today, students spend almost eight hours a day on screensthe equivalent of a full-time job, and the constant digital force follows them into the classroom. Parents and teachers consistently report that students are more focused, engaged and present when phones are not competing for their attention. States across the country are taking action on this evidence, and at least 18 have already implemented bell-to-bell bans. Pennsylvania now has a clear opportunity to follow suit, starting in the 2027–28 school year.
These laws are written the way good policy should be done – by listening first.
They work with local parent advocates PA disconnected AND Wait until 8 contacted my office to share their concerns and research findings and to urge us to consider a bell-to-ring cell phone policy in Pennsylvania. One of the co-chairs of PA Unplugged, Kirstin McGowan, a member of mine, became a key collaborator in shaping the bill and recommended that I work on this policy, which was already in place in the Central Bucks School District. There, even more restricted restrictions on cell phone exploit during classes have already brought significant benefits to students and teachers. Christie Besack, a psychology teacher at Central Bucks High School West, told me that since the policy was implemented last year, “teachers and students feel like a weight has been lifted off their shoulders.”
Since then, thanks to cooperation, the law on schools without mobile phones has been strengthened. Parents, educators, local school board members, mental health professionals, and advocates worked with my office and the offices of Senators Robinson and Hughes, the Pennsylvania State Education Association, and PA Unplugged to create a proposal that reflects classroom realities. Before SB 1014 was formally introduced, I hosted an event personal discussion on cell phone free schools in September 2025 the opportunity to hear directly from subject matter experts and community members and have their questions and concerns heard. This conversation continued virtual discussion on December 9thanks to which an even larger number of voices can participate in the process.
That same day, SB 1014 advanced from the Senate Education Committee with unanimous bipartisan support. The momentum continued on Feb. 3, when Gov. Josh Shapiro emphasized a ring-to-ring cellphone ban in his annual budget speech and urged the General Assembly to send such a bill to his desk. Later that afternoon, the Senate did just that, passing SB 1014 by a 46-1 vote and sending it to the House for further consideration.
As a former teacher, this issue is very personal to me.
Disruption-free classrooms are about creating the conditions students need to learn, connect, and fully experience the school community. Our students are missing out on critical social and educational development when they look at their phones instead of participating in conversations inside and outside the classroom.
SB 1014 shows what’s possible when we focus on proven policies that address real problems and when lawmakers take guidance from those closest to the problem. Parents, teachers and students have helped lead this effort, and I am proud to have helped them raise their voices to strengthen this policy.
As SB 1014 continues its path through the Legislature, it offers a model for how we can address other pressing challenges facing our Commonwealth — by listening, collaborating, and engaging in solutions that make the everyday lives of Pennsylvanians better. If you agree, please visit my website for more information on SB 1014 and to sign our petition to support cell phone-free schools. Call your local state representative and make sure he or she supports the bill (you will find your representative here).
This policy has been fundamentally shaped by citizen support and participation, so we need your aid to see it through to completion.
The post State Senator Steve Santarsiero: How the K-12 Cell Phone Ban Bill took shape appeared first on Pennsylvania Senate Democrats.
