Illinois school cell phone ban progresses as many districts already enforce policies

By Sean Reed | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – A bill banning students from using cell phones during the school day was unanimously recommended to be adopted by an Illinois House committee Wednesday. The bill, which was introduced in the state Senate during the last legislative session, has bipartisan support and has been a focus of Gov. J.B. Pritzker in recent months.

Senate Bill 2427 and its associated amendments were heard by the House Education Policy Committee early Wednesday.

The bill, which was also passed unanimously by the Senate last April, would require school boards across the state implement a policy prohibiting the use of cell phones and other personal communication devices from the beginning to the end of each school day, with some exceptions.

Rep. Laura Faver Dias, D-Grayslake, questioned Lindsey Volz, a legislative advisor with the Governor’s Office, on how the bill would address students’ access to phones in the event of an emergency at school.

“Schools are able to allow exceptions if they choose to in the case of an emergency, and it’s up to the school districts on how the phone is stored as well. So, it might be as simple as reaching into their backpack or going to their locker,” Vols said.

How to securely store devices is left to the discretion of school boards, with public input on the new policies being required, according to the bill’s text.

Rep. Adam M. Niemerg, R-Dieterich, questioned if the bill provided any specific enforcement mechanisms for schools and if any schools that already have policies in place have voiced opposition to the bill.

Enforcement actions are largely up to schools, but the bill prohibits certain punishments like fines and expulsion over phone use, said Rep. Michelle Mussman, D-Schaumburg.

“I would say it’s been somewhat limited and they are allowed to keep their cell phone policy in place,” Mussman said. “The earliest they would change it is the 2030-31 school year.”

The bill is similar to legislation passed by more than half of states in the country, including each adjacent to Illinois. For a number of states, legislation has been followed by spending by school districts and the creation of grants to assist in implementing the policy.

Among them, New York allocated $13.5 million in funding for the implementation of its ban, primarily to buy magnetic phone lockup bags.

Though the bill does not allocate any funds, districts in the state have already started spending on solutions, including a nearly quarter-million dollar purchase by Peoria Public Schools in 2024.

The committee unanimously recommended the bill be adopted, sending it to the House floor for a second reading later the same day.