Illinois House revives school cellphone ban; bill awaits scrutiny in Senate

The Illinois House has resurrected a push to ban cellphones and other wireless devices in classrooms during school hours, advancing legislation to the Senate late Thursday.

The change would allow Illinois to join numerous states that have enacted similar laws.

Passed with bipartisan support, the ban would take effect at the start of the 2027-28 school year, and includes tablets, personal laptop computers, gaming devices and wearable devices, like smartwatches and Meta glasses. The legislation applies to public and charter schools, and leaves room for them to implement policies crafted by their school boards.

Whether devices are banned during lunch or in the halls would be left up to the discretion of each school. Teachers could also authorize device usage if it's for a lesson.

Exemptions are carved out for English language learners, students who take care of a family member and individuals with an individualized education plan or a medical exemption.

“The research is clear,” said Rep. Michelle Mussman, a Democrat from Schaumburg, while testifying in support of the bill. “This constant source of distraction is lowering their academic progress, increasing anxiety, depression and cyberbullying, and inhibiting face-to-face communication at a critical time when youth are developing their social skills.”

The proposal was first brought forward by Gov. JB Pritzker last spring and passed the Senate with unanimous support. However, the House did not take a vote before the session concluded. After a minor amendment to the legislation was added in the House, it now heads back to the Senate.

“Every parent, educator and caregiver knows the damage unchecked screen time and social media can do to our children,” a spokesperson from the governor’s office said in a statement. “We look forward to the Illinois General Assembly finishing the job and passing these vital protections for our kids.”

A poll released by Pew Research Centers in 2024 showed that 72% of high school teachers say phone distractions are a major problem; 33% of middle school teachers and 6% of elementary school teachers said the same. Of the other states that have enacted similar bans, most have generally reported postive results.

While not opposed to the bill, the Illinois Federation of Teachers raised concerns over the state implementing another school mandate without providing additional funding that could be used for containers or wall-hanging pockets that store students' phones during class.

Few states have included additional resources to help fund their new policies. New York allocated $13.5 million for schools that need assistance in purchasing storage solutions, and some states like Delaware and Pennsylvania have launched grant programs to help finance schools in need.

Some opponents have expressed safety concerns about the inability of students to have their phones with them during an emergency. While the bill states devices are not banned during emergencies, students would not have devices on their person in those moments.

Several school districts across the state already implement their own bans. Those policies would be permitted to remain under the bill, should it become law.