As promised earlier this month in her state of the state address, Gov. Sarah Sanders announced novel legislation Wednesday to ban smartphones and other personal electronic devices in all public schools in Arkansas beginning this fall.
Senate Bill 142, sponsored by state Sen. Tyler Dees (R-Siloam Springs) and Rep. Jon Eubanks (R-Paris), would require school districts and charter schools to submit a student cellphone policy to the state Education Department for approval. Schools would have some latitude to set their own rules, but only up to a point. All districts would be required to restrict the possession of phones during the school day and outright prohibit their utilize, except in emergencies.
(What constitutes an emergency? The bill defines it as “a serious, unexpected, and dangerous situation that requires immediate action,” such as a fire, tornado, earthquake, vigorous shooter, medical emergency or event requiring the evacuation of school grounds.)
School policies should include health exemptions and allowances for extracurricular activities after the school day has ended, SB 142 says. It also includes a carveout for students with disabilities whose individualized education plans allow them to utilize an electronic device.
A district or charter that fails to adopt or enforce a cellphone policy under the bill could be in violation of accreditation standards, the bill says. And, it declares that a school “shall not be liable” for a phone or other device that’s confiscated under the school’s policy and subsequently lost, damaged or stolen.
Though the state now sends tens of millions of dollars to private schools in the form of vouchers under Arkansas LEARNS, they would presumably not be affected by the bill: It applies to public and charter schools only.
Sanders announced the legislation at a mental health event at the Capitol on Wednesday. In the governor’s telling, the mental health crisis among American kids and teens all goes back to one root cause: access to phones. Last year, her administration launched a voluntary pilot program for school districts to restrict or ban student phone utilize. Most districts in the state chose to participate, she said, and many have reported great improvements in student behavior.
“We have seen a staggering rise in mental illness among young people over the past decade. The culprit is clear: unrestricted access to smartphones and social media. After the overwhelming success of our phone-free schools pilot program, it’s clear that it’s time for Arkansas to ban smartphones, bell to bell, in every school in our state,” she said.
While it goes without saying that other factors also affect students’ mental health, Sanders is in good company with governors across the country in both red and blue states: From Florida to New York, states are restricting student cellphone utilize to varying degrees. In a legislative session that’s tiny on substantial policy proposals, it’s clear the cellphone ban is a top priority for Sanders, and perhaps a personal one.
But it also comes at a time when the relationship between the Republican Party and the tech industry is quick shifting. Only a year or two ago, Donald Trump was decrying social media companies as the enemy and calling for a ban on TikTok. Now, the CEOs of social media companies and other tech giants are honored guests in the Trump White House and the novel president is trying to unilaterally undo a congressional ban on TikTok, to the consternation of Republicans like Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas.
In this novel reality in which Trump and the tech world are in allegiance, might Republicans such as Sanders lose their enthusiasm for restricting cellphone utilize? The governor’s seems all in on her proposal, and her enthusiasm for this issue seems heartfelt. But time will tell.
Here’s the full announcement from the governor:
Governor Sanders Announces Bill to Make Every Arkansas School Go Phone-Free
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders today announced the Bell to Bell, No Cell Act, legislation that would ban smartphones and other personal electronic devices like astute watches from every single public school in Arkansas, beginning in the 2025-2026 school year. Senator Tyler Dees (District 35) and Representative Jon Eubanks (District 46) are sponsoring the bill in the legislature.
“We have seen a staggering rise in mental illness among young people over the past decade. The culprit is clear: unrestricted access to smartphones and social media,” said Governor Sanders. “After the overwhelming success of our phone-free schools pilot program, it’s clear that it’s time for Arkansas to ban smartphones, bell to bell, in every school in our state.”
“Arkansas kids deserve every advantage we as parents can give them, and helping them keep their heads in the game at school isn’t just good for their mental health. It will improve the quality of their education overall, making them more prepared for the challenges of life. Disconnecting students from doom-scrolling on big tech social media platforms during school is common sense and will help with their social and emotional health,” said Senator Tyler Dees.
“I think we can all agree cell phones are a serious distraction for students. This legislation will limit that distraction so that phones do not interfere with the learning process,” said Representative Jon Eubanks.
The Bell to Bell, No Cell Act prohibits personal electronic devices, including cell phones and astute watches, bell-to-bell. Each public school district will be required to publish its cell phone policy on its website, including policies and exemptions concerning cell phones on school property and at school-related functions. Districts are required to provide exemptions for health reasons, Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), after-school extracurricular activities, and emergencies.
In her 2025 State of the State address, Governor Sanders identified mental health as one of her top priorities for the year. In addition to the phone-free schools program, the Governor plans to update Arkansas’ Social Media Safety Act so it is no longer held up in court and to give Arkansas parents the right to sue Big Tech companies under state law so they can hold bad actors accountable.
Governor Sanders launched the phone-free schools pilot program last summer. Participating districts received funding to purchase containers for students to store their devices and experience a phone-free education. She was inspired to launch this program after reading The Anxious Generation by author Jonathan Haidt, and also sent a copy of the book to every legislator in Arkansas and every governor in America.
Sanders and Haidt toured schools across the state in December to promote the phone-free schools program and see its implementation. Beyond school visits, they held a roundtable and speaking engagements, inviting legislators, parents, and educators to join the conversation. The Governor and Haidt also spoke on a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to promote phone-free schools.
