California has legislation banning or restricting the use of smartphones in school

Amid a growing belief that excessive smartphone use increases the risk of mental illness and impages learning, the U.S. state of California has decided to legislate to limit or ban the use of smartphones on campus.

Reuters reported that the bill passed the California Assembly by a vote of 76-0, and the California State Assembly Senate by a vote of 38-1.

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law Monday requiring schools to ban or limit the use of smartphones.

According to the bill, California school boards or other governing bodies must have a policy in place by July 1, 2026, to limit or prohibit the use of smartphones on campus, and update the smartphone policy every five years.

In addition to California, 13 other states have done the same or advised teachers to do so this year, according to Education Week. Florida became the first state to ban cellphones in classrooms in 2023.

California has nearly 5.9 million public school students, and the Los Angeles County School Board first announced in June that 429,000 students would be banned from using smartphones in school.

In June, U.S. Medical Superintendent John Murthy also called for social media platforms to include warning labels similar to those on cigarette packs, saying that social media use could harm young people's mental health.