Georgia Senate Votes to Ban Cellphones in Elementary, Middle Schools

Arkansas, California, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, South Carolina, and Virginia have enacted similar measures.

A student uses a cell phone after unlocking the pouch that secures it from use during the school day at Bayside Academy in San Mateo, Calif., on Aug. 16, 2024. Lea Suzuki/San Francisco Chronicle via AP

Georgia has become the latest state to move toward banning cellphones in schools after a recent Senate vote to restrict their usage.

On Tuesday, state lawmakers overwhelmingly approved House Bill 340 to restrict personal electronic devices for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. The measure passed 54–2 in the Senate and now heads to Gov. Brian Kemp for his signature or veto.