MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Senate unanimously passed legislation on Wednesday banning the use of cell phones by public K-12 students during the school day.
If signed into law, the ban would go into effect for the 2025-2026 school year.
State Sen. Donnie Chesteen (R-Geneva) said on the Senate floor the bill would "prohibit use of cell phones during the day, better known as bell to bell."
"How this would work is the kids would come into their school first period, and they would put their cell phones in whatever device the school system chose to use," Chesteen said. "They'd put them in first period and at the end of the day they'd get their cell phones (back). Eighty percent of the teachers want cell phones out of the classroom. They're there to teach. I think we've got to go back and remember what we have these kids in school for, and that's to get an education. Teachers are spending too much of their time trying to get kids to put their cell phones up, and that's not what they're there for."
The bill has exceptions for cell phone use for a "student's Individualized Education Program, Individualized Accommodation Plan, Section 504 plan, or Individualized Health Plan" and "for educational or learning purposes under the supervision of local board of education personnel…(or) during an emergency threatening the life or safety of the student or another person."
An amendment by State Sen. Chris Elliott (R-Josephine) that would have added another exception for students using their phones to communicate with a parent or legal guardian was tabled by a voice vote and wasn't voted on.
"I think a reasonable exception would also be for the student to communicate with their parent or legal guardian, and that's the amendment is adding another exception to let the parent, us, communicate with our child. I don't want to outlaw me communicating or prohibit me communicating with my child or my child communicating with me," Elliott said on the Senate floor.
After the vote, Gov. Kay Ivey said on Facebook, "The Senate unanimously passed the FOCUS Act, which removes the distraction of cell phones during students' classes."
"There's a time and a place for our phones, but while a teacher is teaching is NOT it. Thank you, Sen. Donnie Chesteen. Let's get this bill to my desk!" Ivey said.
The House passed similar legislation last week.
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