Away For The Day | Latest News - Pa. House passes bell-to-bell ban of cell phones in schools statewide

Hayden Mitman, NBC10 Philadelphia

New legislation that could ban the use of cell phones from bell-to-bell at public and private schools statewide passed through the State House legislature on Monday.

The legislation, introduced at Senate Bill 1014, would prohibit the use of cell phones on school property at educational institutions state wide, starting with the 2027-28 school year.

In a statement on the legislation, lawmakers said the move is intended to reduce the use of smartphones in schools as, studies have shown, a rise in depression and anxiety in children due to smartphone use and "the suicide rate for adolescents ages 10-19 rose 48%, while the suicide rate for girls ages 10-14 rose and astonishing 131%."

"We also know children and teens are using their smartphones excessively," reads a statement on the legislation. "Between 2010-2015, US teens with smartphones rose from 23% to 73%, with a quarter admitting to being online 'almost constantly'. Now, teens spend an average of nearly eight hours a day on their phones, equivalent to a full-time job, and receive an average of 237 notifications on their phone a day."

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Pa. House passes bell-to-bell ban of cell phones in schools statewide

Hayden Mitman, NBC10 Philadelphia

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