SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Senator Lincoln Fillmore, Representative Douglas Welton and The Policy Project are joining forces to introduce a bill that would prohibit students from using cell phones during class time – unless a district decides to allow otherwise, the Utah State Legislature announced in a press release Monday.
The bill, which will be introduced in the 2025 General Assembly, “places Utah at the forefront of states taking decisive action to reduce the harmful effects of cell phone use on student mental health and academic success,” the press release said. “It reflects a growing recognition that technology use must be balanced with student well-being and academic success.”
According to Senator Fillmore, the rise of social media and general smartphone usage is having a significant impact on students’ mental health and the quality of their classroom experiences.
In his view, the goal of the legislation is to provide school districts, teachers and students with a more focused and productive learning environment.
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“This measure will allow teachers to concentrate more on teaching and less on playing the cell phone police,” he said.
Currently, school districts can set their own cell phone policies.
The press release states that the bill “preserves county autonomy but shifts the playing field by requiring counties to actively choose to allow cell phone use rather than allowing it by default.”
“Utah has consistently demonstrated that it places the well-being of its youth as a top priority,” the press release said. “This measure will enable students to more meaningfully engage with their education and their peers and overcome the increasingly common disparity.”
Emily Bell McCormick, president of The Policy Project, called smartphone use a “growing epidemic.”
“Smartphones have become a major distraction in Utah’s schools – disrupting classroom climate, lowering academic performance, and contributing to bullying and social isolation,” she said. “Parents and families need support, students need guidance, and teachers need help responding to this growing epidemic.”
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