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A year and a half since Indiana public schools were required to ban cell phones during class, lawmakers want much stricter measures that would bar students from using their devices for the entire school day.
Senate Bill 78 would require all public school districts and charter schools to pick either a "no device" or a "secure storage" policy.
Under the 2024 law, students are generally prohibited from using cell phones and other devices during class but can use them during passing periods or lunch, depending on individual school rules. The new proposal defines the school day as the entire time a student is on the campus for instruction, effectively closing brief windows of time when students could check messages or watch videos.
State Sen. Jeff Raatz (R-Richmond), the bill’s author, described the proposal as a "rehash" of the 2024 law, noting that current rules are often "applied differently than what the intention was." He said leaving enforcement up to individual educators creates inconsistency.
"And that's part of the issue, I think it's pretty onerous on a teacher to pay attention and make sure they're doing the best job they can to educate kids and, you know, getting after them on cell phones," Raatz said Tuesday during the Senate’s Education and Career Development Committee. "But I'm not going to give them a break either, because once you set the standard and you get after it and keep it in tow, they'll follow along and do what the wishes are, in my opinion."
If the legislation is passed, schools must adopt policies that either forbid students from bringing devices to school entirely or require them to be inaccessible until school dismissal. The bill expands the definition of "wireless communication device" to include smartwatches connected to cellular networks or the internet.
The committee did not vote on the bill Tuesday. Lawmakers will take up the legislation again in January.
Indiana is among nine states with laws or policies that aim to restrict the use of cellphones during instructional time. According to an Education Week analysis, 22 states have laws that ban the use of devices bell to bell, which would be similar to the proposal at the Indiana statehouse.
The Indiana State Teachers Association supports the stricter ban but warned that schools will need help paying for it.
John O’Neil, the union’s lobbyist, asked lawmakers to dedicate $5 million to cover the cost of storage pouches rather than forcing districts to foot the bill. The Legislative Services Agency estimates that pouches, such as those made by Yondr, cost between $15 and $30 per device.
"These bags and storage units cost money," O'Neil said, adding that it is vital "teachers are able to collaborate with their administrators on their school policies, so that they have some teacher input for the people who are going to be doing this on a daily basis."
The bill also imposes new accountability standards for classroom technology. While the current law allows teachers to authorize the use of personal devices for educational purposes, SB 78 would require that any teacher-directed digital work occur only on school-supplied devices. This provision would effectively end "Bring Your Own Device" (BYOD) practices for classroom assignments.
There are exceptions for students who require devices for medical issues or for emergency use authorized by a superintendent. There are also exceptions for language translation, though schools must prioritize devices managed by the school for this purpose.
If passed, the new rules would take effect for the 2026-27 school year.
Eric Weddle is WFYI's education editor. Contact Eric at eweddle@wfyi.org or follow him on X at @ericweddle
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