HARRISBURG – Gov. Josh Shapiro has signed legislation into law to improve students’ mental health and academic performance by giving schools the resources they need to effectively limit student smartphone use during the school day. Senate Bill 700, now Act 55 of 2024, incorporates the use of secure, lockable smartphone bags in which students would deposit their mobile devices until the end of the school day. It also includes funding for schools to allow for the purchase of the smartphone bags. Bill sponsor, Lancaster County Sen. Ryan Aument says now that his measure has been signed into law, he intends to work towards ensuring that every school district in PA knows the funding is available to them and that a robust cellphone policy has the power to help them regain their students’ focus in class, restore the social environment on campus, and boost academic performance. It also requires schools to develop and adopt an official policy to prohibit the use of cellphones during the school day in exchange for the grant funding to purchase the smartphone bags.
SEN. RYAN AUMENT