A bill banning cellphones in Pennsylvania schools landed on Gov. Josh Shapiro's desk on Thursday, Oct. 22, after clearing both legislative chambers with broad support.

Senate Bill 1014 would require every public school district in the state to adopt a "bell-to-bell" policy restricting students from using or possessing cellphones during the school day. That includes Colonial School District and Wissahickon School District, which will each need to draft their own enforcement plans once the governor signs the measure.

Shapiro has signaled he supports the restriction, Patch reported. No signing date has been announced.

How it got here

The state House passed SB 1014 on Monday, Oct. 19, by a vote of 141-62, according to legislative records. The Senate concurred in the House's amendments on Wednesday, Oct. 21, voting 47-3.

The bill was signed in both chambers and presented to the governor on Oct. 22.

The Senate had originally approved an earlier version 46-1 on Feb. 3.

What the bill requires

Under SB 1014, districts would have to create individual policies to secure phones during classroom time, including recess and study halls, Patch reported.

Three exceptions are written into the bill. Students with documented medical conditions may keep their phones. So may students whose individualized education programs (IEPs) require device access. A school administrator can also grant permission on a case-by-case basis.

It is not clear from available records whether Colonial or Wissahickon already has a formal cellphone policy or whether either district has begun preparing for the new law.

Statewide push

State Rep. Mandy Steele, an Allegheny County Democrat, said in a statement that "our children are being held captive by big tech and by that smartphone in their pockets."

Steele said research into unrestricted cellphone access among minors has shown that phones are linked to lower test scores, higher rates of depression and increases in eating disorders, Patch reported.

Pennsylvania would join a growing wave. At least 39 states and the District of Columbia restrict cellphone use in schools, according to Education Week. Thirty enforce a full bell-to-bell ban.

Sens. Haywood and Collett are listed among the bill's 22 co-sponsors in legislative records.

Colonial and Wissahickon families should watch for school board agendas in the coming months, where new phone-restriction policies will likely appear for public comment.