Gov. Murphy signs law banning cellphones in New Jersey public schools
NEW JERSEY (WABC) -- New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed a "bell to bell" school cellphone ban into law Thursday -- in one of his last public acts before leaving office, and one that he considered a top priority.
The bill restricts students from using smartphones and other devices with internet access during the school day.
The goal is to remove distractions and improve students' mental health.
"Teachers report that students are more focused, less anxious, and they are socializing and laughing with each other - not through a screen - but in hallways and classrooms," Murphy said. "By getting rid of needless distractions, we are fundamentally changing our schools' learning environments and encouraging our children to be more attentive and engaged during the school day."
The state budget allocates $3 million in grants to support phone-free schools, but it is up to the local school boards to determine how to actually implement the ban.
State guidelines must also address ways that devices can be stored, including pouches and lockers.
The state legislature passed the legislation last month and Murphy has been reviewing it since then.
The governor first mentioned he wanted to sign such legislation during his annual State of the State address at the beginning of last year.
The policy goes into effect beginning in the 2026-2027 school year.
Including New Jersey, 37 states and the District of Columbia now have laws or rules limiting phones and other electronic devices in school, although some won't take effect until later.
Phones are banned throughout the school day in 19 of the states and the District of Columbia, although Georgia and Florida impose such "bell-to-bell" bans only from kindergarten through eighth grade.
There are seven states with some kind of guidance recommending local policy that's not a law, including Connecticut, Idaho, Kansas, Maryland, Montana, South Dakota, Washington, and six states with no statewide law or guidance - Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, and Wyoming.
Massimo Randazzo, a student at Ramsey High School where Murphy signed the bill, said the school had begun requiring students to store cellphones in pouches a year ago. Initially frustrated, students then noticed a positive change, he said.
"Instead of everyone rushing between classes, staring at screens, students actually started talking to one another. The space felt more social and more present," he said.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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