Senate passes bill to ban students from using cell phones in school

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Senate has passed a bill that would ban cell phones in schools during the school day.

Senate Bill 139, by Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore, would require public school districts to develop policies to limit student cell phone use for the full school day, for the 2025-2026 academic year that begins in August. The bill passed the Senate on a 30 to 15 vote this week and now heads to the House for consideration.

Seifried amended her legislation on the floor to require districts to restrict cell phones for the upcoming school year while also granting school boards the flexibility to adjust their policies in future years. A previous version of the legislation would have required schools to adopt “bell to bell” policies in perpetuity.

Seifried said she’s confident “bell to bell” enforcement is the best option for public schools because it will keep teachers from having to police cell phone use throughout the day. She also said she’s optimistic that once schools see the advantages of going phone-free, they won’t want to go back.

“Teachers already have more than enough responsibilities during the school day, and ‘bell to bell’ policies ensure they aren’t forced to waste valuable class time to crack down on cell phone usage,” she said. “Keeping phones out of sight and out of mind for seven hours a day creates a more focused and productive atmosphere that’s better for students and teachers alike.”

Seifried said she has spent the last two years working to improve education outcomes and eliminate classroom distractions by limiting cell phones in schools. She introduced SB 139 after co-hosting an interim study last Fall, where the negative effects of cell phone use in schools was highlighted.