A bill banning cell phones and other wireless devices during the entire school day, is headed to the House floor.
House Bill 949, sponsored by Rep. Demi Busatta Cabrera, R-Coral Gables, would expand on a 2023 law that already restricts phone use during instructional time. The proposed legislation would prohibit students from using cell phones or personal electronic devices from the beginning of the school day until dismissal, including during lunch and between classes.
The goal of HB 949 is to broaden this prohibition to include non-instructional times like lunch and recess and the full school day. The law would require school districts to set aside specialized spaces for students to use their devices, with medical devices and other essential equipment receiving special consideration.
The bill’s proponents contend that limiting cell phone use in classrooms will enhance academic achievement, reduce distractions and lessen cyberbullying. Representative Busatta Cabrera underlined how smartphones may be addictive and how they affect students’ ability to concentrate and their general well-being.
“It’s really hard to tell a kid, ‘Jey, we need to take your phone again,’ but when you say, ‘It’s the law,’ it just kind of ends the conversation there,” said Rep. Fabian Basabe during a subcommittee meeting, emphasizing the potential for this piece of legislation to empower educators in enforcing the rules.
Sen. Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills, proposed Senate Bill 1296, a parallel proposal currently being considered by the Senate. According to this measure, six school districts — two from each major, medium and small population group —will participate in a pilot program to impose a full-day cell phone ban in the 2025–2026 school year. The program aims to evaluate how such prohibitions affect student conduct and academic performance by Dec. 1, 2026. The results will be presented to the Legislature.
Although lawmakers and educators have endorsed the proposed legislation, some parents are worried about communication obstacles in emergency situations. In response, the bill’s supporters have highlighted the significance of setting up explicit procedures for emergency situations and cited past examples where students managed without continual access to phones.
The proposed law aligns with a larger national trend that limits students’ usage of cell phones in class. According to a 2023 Pew Research Center study, 72% of high school instructors in the United States believe that student cell phone distraction is a significant issue in their classrooms. Many states have passed legislation restricting school cell phone use in response to these worries. For example, Indiana established a rule that forbids students from using wireless devices in class, except emergencies, medical needs and educational purposes.
Similarly, California passed the Phone-Free School Act, which mandates that schools create rules by July 1, 2026, to restrict or outright prohibit student smartphone use on campus to address mental health concerns associated with excessive student smartphone use.
If passed, Florida would join an increasing number of states that have tightened their laws governing students’ use of cell phones in class, which is part of a national initiative to improve learning environments by reducing digital distractions.