Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announces planned phone-free school legislation
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced legislation on Wednesday banning smartphones and related technology from every Arkansas public school.
The Bell to Bell, No Cell Act will be introduced into the legislature to go into effect in the 2025-2026 school year. The governor said Sen. Tyler Dees (R-Silom Springs) and Rep. Jon Eubanks (R-Paris) will sponsor the bill.
Arkansas school districts pushing forward with implementing phone-free campuses
Sanders described the bill as a response to a growing mental health need.
'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,' the governor said. '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.'
A test of the plan took place in several Arkansas schools in the previous school year. Participating districts received funding to purchase containers for students to store their devices and experience a phone-free education.
Conway middle schools participate in statewide initiative to become cell phone-free
Sanders said she was inspired to launch this program after reading 'The Anxious Generation' by Jonathan Haidt.
The legislation will mandate, other than no cell phone or smart device while school is in session, that 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 must provide exemptions for health reasons, Individualized Education Programs, after-school extracurricular activities and emergencies.
Banning cellphones in schools gains popularity in red and blue states
In her 2025 State of the State address, Sanders said mental health is one of her top priorities for the year. In addition to the phone-free schools program, the governor said she 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 tech companies under state law so they can hold bad actors accountable.
The legislation, , was filed Wednesday.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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