TALHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — As Florida footsteps follow in the footsteps banning cell phone use at schools, state legislators in Tallahassee continue their conversations to take Florida’s current ban a step further.
In 2023, Congress passed a bill that would ban the use of mobile phones at schools during class. The effort was led by State Sen. Danny Burgess (R-Zephyrhills) and wants to examine the impact of school campuses that currently have no phone calls on student behavior.
The phone is diverting students. More states hope to ban them in schools
Senate Bill 1296 aims to establish pilot programs in six Florida school districts that currently have or implement policies to ban students from using mobile phones throughout the school’s day.
It’s not the only effort at the Capitol that’s been addressed in this issue. To tackle distracted learning more, lawmakers are urging students to ban cell phones from beginning to end of the day.
“Mobile phones are shown to not only constantly distract students from focus during school day, but also to hinder learning ability, but also increase bullying throughout school day,” said R-Coral Gables.
Busatta hopes to build current Florida laws in House Bill 949. The bill prohibits students from using wireless communication devices not only during education hours but also during school day.
“It is also necessary to designate schools where the school is located within the school building where the school can allow school administrators to use their mobile phones,” Busatta said.
The bill, which just passed away from the first committee, has already gained support.
“I had two schools in my district that implemented their own mobile phone policies during the day and did something amazing,” state legislator Susan Valdez (R-Tampa).
But even if the bill gains green light, it doesn’t mean that everyone is on sale.
“The situation has changed due to school lockdowns and school shootings. There are concerns whether this has taken it a step further in terms of pouches where students have no access to their mobile phones at all.”
But despite these concerns, both Republicans and Democrats voted in favor of the bill moving forward.
State Assemblyman Diane Hart (D-Tampa) shares with the 8 on your side, and she wants to see both sides of the discussion and return to her district to talk to her parents and members to hear their thoughts on the issue.
“It scares me that kids don’t have cell phones, but these kids are distracted by these phones and I can tell them it relates to me,” Hart said. “What you haven’t learned because you’re always playing with your phone.”
