The “bell-to-bell” statewide phone ban in schools was passed by The Indiana Senate on January 20, 2026. This bill expands on the 2024 legislation banning phones during instructional time. The bill was send to Governor Mike Braun for a final sign off in late February, the bill being signed on March 5th.
With the signing of the bill, this means all charter and public school districts would be mandated to not let students have their cell phone/personal devices from the beginning of the day until after students are dismissed at the end of the day. This bill goes into effect on July 1, 2026. Exceptions have been made for students if they need assistive devices or if personal devices are needed for health reasons.
Supporters of the bill say that the restriction of phone use during the day will improve students focus and have less disruptions during instructional time. This policy has been enforced because of concerns from educators about online bullying, unrestricted social media use, and the inconsistent application of the already existing cell phone rules.
According to principal Frank Meyer, three options for storing phones include:
-Leaving cell phones in cars for students that drive
-Leaving cell phones in assigned locker
-Not brining cell phones at all
