A new law signed by Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom will require school districts to develop rules that restrict student smartphone usage. Gavin Newsom signed on Monday.

California is the latest state that has passed legislation to limit student access to their phones to reduce distractions in classrooms and to address the mental impact of social media. Florida, Louisiana, and Indiana, among other states, have passed laws to restrict student phone usage at school.

Newsom stated in a press release that the new law would help students to focus on their academics, their social development, and the world around them when they are in school, rather than being distracted by screens.

Some critics say that teachers should not be responsible for enforcing phone restrictions. Some critics of phone restriction policies worry that the rules may make it more difficult for students to get help in an emergency. Others argue that individual school or district decisions should be made on whether to ban phones.

Troy Flint, a spokesperson for the California School Boards Association, said: “We support districts who have taken independent action to implement restrictions because after reviewing the needs of their stakeholders they determined it made the most sense in their community about safety, school cultures, and academic achievement.” “We oppose the mandate.”

By July 1, 2026, districts must pass rules to restrict or prohibit students’ use of smartphones while on campus or under supervision by school staff. After that, districts will be required to update their policies at least every five years.

Newsom’s move follows a 2019 law that authorized school districts to limit student phone access. He announced in June that he would take up the issue once again after the U.S. Surgeon General called on Congress for warning labels to be placed on social media platforms regarding their effects on youth.

Last month, the governor sent letters to school districts urging them not to allow students to use their devices on campus. The governor’s letter came the same day the Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation’s second-largest school district, voted to prohibit student cell phone usage during school hours beginning in January.

Assemblymember Josh Hoover (a Republican from Folsom) introduced the bill along with a group of bipartisan lawmakers who were also parents.

Hoover’s three children, aged 15, 12, and 10, are not allowed to use their phones in school. He said that many students do not like the policy because of its restrictive nature.

Hoover explained that it can be difficult for students to stop using drugs. “But I believe overall they understand the importance of it, how it helps them concentrate better in their classes and helps them socialize with their classmates face-to-face when they are at school.”

Parents have expressed concern that a ban on school cell phones could prevent them from being able to contact their children in an emergency. These fears were raised after a Georgia school shooting this month that left four people dead and nine others injured.

This law does not change the fact that emergencies are still covered by the 2019 law allowing districts to restrict access to student phones. Some supporters of school phone restrictions say that it is better to turn off phones in an active shooter scenario so they do not ring and reveal the location of a student.

ShaKenya E. Edison, assistant superintendent of the Santa Barbara Unified Schools District, said that teachers have seen students become more engaged after the district implemented a complete ban on the use of student phones in the classroom during the school year 2023-24.

Nick Melvoin is a Los Angeles Unified Board member who presented the district’s policy. He said that passing policies at district or state levels can prevent students from feeling as if they are missing out on social media activity.

Tarik McFall, principal of Sutter Middle School, Folsom, said that before the use of cellphones during school hours was banned, students were seen filming fights, TikTok challenges, and spending lunchtime on online content. He said that the rule “totally transformed the culture” at the school, so students now spend more time talking with each other.

McFall stated that it was a wonderful thing to have the machines put away and powered off.

Mara Harvey is a social studies instructor at Discovery High School, Natomas Unified School District. She said that teachers have relied more on technology in the past few years as a tool to teach students.

Students in the district of Sacramento can use a Chromebook to access Google Classroom and online textbooks. Teachers also share materials on this platform. Harvey explained that if students forget their Chromebooks, they can still access their curriculum via their smartphones.