New York to impose statewide ban on smartphones in schools; 1 million students set to be hit
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California, Florida, Virginia and several other US states have approved limits on school-day smartphone use in recent years.
PHOTO: JIM WILSON/NYTIMES
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NEW YORK – New York state legislative leaders have agreed to ban smartphone use in public schools under a new budget agreement aimed at improving children’s mental health.
The restrictions will apply throughout the school day, from the first bell to the last, US Democratic Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie told reporters at the Capitol on April 3.
Ms Melinda Person, president of New York State United Teachers, said: “Research shows bell-to-bell cellphone restrictions make schools safer and help kids stay engaged, learn and thrive.”
New York will join California, Florida, Virginia and several other US states that have approved limits on school-day smartphone use in recent years, citing concerns from youth anxiety to online safety.
New York State Governor Kathy Hochul has made enacting a ban on internet-enabled devices a top priority as part of her 2025 to 2026 budget plan, which is expected to exceed US$252 million (S$340 million).
Negotiations over the spending package are continuing past an April 1 deadline amid disagreements over other proposals, like mask-wearing restrictions.
The device restrictions will largely reflect what Ms Hochul had in her January draft budget, with some modifications, Mr Heastie said.
Ms Hochul has proposed that school districts would have until Aug 1 to develop and implement local plans to restrict the use of smartphones, tablets and other internet-connected devices.
Mr Heastie said the Assembly, Senate and governor’s office are finalising language for the measure.
If enacted, the ban would affect the roughly one million students in New York City’s public schools.
In 2024, then New York City schools chancellor David Banks announced that the city would implement its own cellphone ban, but New York City Mayor Eric Adams reversed course before the start of the current school year.
While Mr Adams had expressed support for a ban in principle, he raised concerns about the cost, logistical hurdles of enforcement and whether the policy would have enough support from parents.
Ms Hochul, a Democrat who is widely expected to seek re-election in 2026, has made teen mental health a focal point of her policy agenda.
In 2024, she signed legislation restricting algorithm-driven social media feeds for underage users, though it will not take effect until regulations are finalised by New York State Attorney-General Letitia James. BLOOMBERG
