Gov. Josh Shapiro on Monday visited Lenape Middle School in Bucks County with legislators, educators, parents and students to sign Senate Bill 1014 into law, requiring all Pennsylvania public, charter, cybercharter and private schools to adopt policies prohibiting students from using personal cellphones throughout the school day, including during lunch, recess and between classes, according to the governor’s office.
The measure was overwhelmingly passed by the House and Senate earlier this month. Shapiro signed 58 measures on Thursday but waited for a signing ceremony on the cellphone ban for a signing.
The governor’s office news release continues, in part:
With the signing of this legislation, Pennsylvania joins more than two dozen other states in keeping devices out of students’ hands from the start of the school day until dismissal to help them focus, engage with peers, and build social and emotional skills.
“Technology is a powerful tool, but it’s also a powerful distraction, and I’ve heard from parents and teachers who tell me about how our kids are too easily caught up by addictive algorithms that are preventing them from focusing on school, building relationships with other kids, and developing the social skills that help us all relate to each other in person,” Shapiro said.
Pennsylvania State Education Associated President Aaron Chapin said in a statement: “I was proud to stand with Gov. Shapiro today as he signed this important legislation into law. This new law will free Pennsylvania students from the constant disruptions of cellphones and mobile devices during the school day. PSEA members are grateful for the governor’s strong support and for the bipartisan support this legislation has received in the General Assembly.
“This new law takes an essential step toward reducing distractions for students during class time and keeping lessons and teaching on track. We are confident that it will have a positive impact on student behavior, academic performance, and mental health.”
The measure will go into effect for the 2027-28 school year, and provides districts and other schools plenty of time to determine how to implement.
One Lehigh Valley district that already has a ban in place is Bethlehem Area, which approved the restrictions in 2025. Bethlehem’s policy, which is less strict than the new statewide regulations, requires pre-K to eighth grade students to keep their devices silent and out of sight during the school day, while high school students must place devices in an approved location during class.
Anticipating the new statewide law, many area school districts surveyed their communities over the last year on the best way to move forward.