Youngkin signs bill banning cellphone use in Virginia public schools

Author: Ittai Sopher

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WASHINGTON — Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed a bill Friday effectively banning Virginia school students from using their cellphones while at school.

The restrictions, known as a "bell-to-bell," ban, are defined by the bill as extending from the beginning to the end of a school day.

"'Bell to bell' means after the first bell rings at the start of the school day to begin instructional time until the dismissal bell rings at the end of the school day," the legislation reads. "'Bell to bell' includes lunch and time in between class periods.'"

The bill will codify the recommendations made by Youngkin last summer in Executive Order 33, which asked school districts across the commonwealth to implement what the order called, "cellphone-free education."

"By signing these bills, our statewide policy will be the law," Youngkin said.

The law touches on fierce debates in school districts across the commonwealth, including in Fairfax County, about the extent to which students may access their phones during school in the wake of the governor's previous executive order and as the bill progressed through the Virginia General Assembly.

The bipartisan bill was introduced into both chambers of the General Assembly by Democrats, with Sen. Stella Pekarsky of Centreville, a former Fairfax County Public Schools chairperson, introducing SB738 in September 2024 and Del. Sam Rasoul of Roanoke introducing the House of Delegates version (HB 1961) in February.  

The cellphone ban eventually passed with unanimous support from the Virginia Senate (40-0) and overwhelming support in the House (91-2.) The two no votes, each from a delegate of a different party, came from Laura Jane Cohen (D-Fairfax County,) who had previously served on the board of Fairfax County Public Schools, and Wren Williams (R- Stuart.)

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