California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill, along with many others, into law, meaning school districts across the state will be forced to limit or ban cell phone use in public schools.
This bill: AB3216The bill was authored by Republican Rep. Josh Huber and approved in a bipartisan vote.
The bill states that schools “must adopt policies that limit or prohibit the use of smartphones by students while the student is on school premises or while the student is under the supervision and control of school district, county office of education, or charter school personnel.”
School districts must develop and adopt new rules by July 1, 2026, and update their policies every five years.
“The use of these devices in children's daily lives could lead to poor test performance, anxiety, depression and even suicide.”
The bill has limitations that allow for exceptions, or “special circumstances,” in which students would not be banned from owning smartphones.
“We know that excessive smartphone use increases anxiety, depression and other mental health issues, but we have the power to intervene,” Newsom said. Sacramento Bee“This new law will help students stay focused on their academics, their social development, and the world before them while they're in school, rather than on screens,” the governor added.
Huber, the bill's author, thanked Newsom for the “huge win” for children's mental health, along with his hopes for improved academic performance.
“Studies continue to demonstrate the potential harms of smartphone use among children,” the Republicans argued. “The increased use of these devices in children's daily lives can lead to lower test scores, anxiety, depression, and even suicide.”
Democratic state Sen. Angelique Ashby opposed the bill, citing concerns that children would not be able to access their phones during an emergency such as a school shooting, but the law allows for exceptions for emergency situations.
Mobile phones may also be permitted as part of a student's specific learning plan, for example if they have special needs.
The trend of banning cell phones is growing in several states and private schools across the country. States that have outright bans on smartphones in public schools include Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia.
Governor Newsom's series of bill signings have also come with intense scrutiny, particularly over the Protecting Democracy from Deepfake Deception Act of 2024.
The new law has been criticized as being too harsh on content creators who use artificial intelligence to create memes and obvious parodies.
California is Litigation It was created by content creator Mr. Reagan, whose real name is Christopher Coles, who posted the AI-controlled parody. video He sued the Kamala Harris campaign in July. His lawsuit claims that California is “blatantly” using state power to “compel private social media companies to censor the speech of private citizens by removing election-related AI-generated content.”
The new law will require online platforms to develop procedures for users to report content that websites have missed, so that it can be removed if it violates the law.
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