Indiana governor signs statewide bell-to-bell student cellphone ban

Indiana Governor Mike Braun ceremonially signed a statewide “bell-to-bell” school cellphone restriction on May 13, expanding Indiana’s earlier classroom-focused limits into an all-day rule for public schools and charter schools. Senate Enrolled Act 78 had already been signed into law on March 5, according to the Indiana General Assembly, and takes effect July 1. (events.in.gov) The measure requires schools to prohibit student use of personal wireless communication devices during the school day and to adopt either a no-device policy or a secure-storage policy. Mike Braun said at the Whiteland event that the law would help students “focus on learning,” and the governor’s office said the policy applies to cellphones, smartwatches, gaming devices and other personal wireless communication devices. (events.in.gov) The law includes exceptions for emergencies, medical needs, and students with accommodations such as Individualized Education Programs and 504 plans. Braun appeared with bill author Sen. Jeff Raatz and House sponsor Rep. Jake Teshka, according to News From The States. ### If Indiana already had school phone rules, what changed? Indiana lawmakers previously required school corporations and charter schools to have policies governing student phone use, but educators told lawmakers those rules were difficult to enforce consistently when students could still carry devices during the day, News From The States reported. (iga.in.gov) Senate Enrolled Act 78 tightens that framework by requiring schools to prohibit a student from using or possessing a wireless communication device during the school day, according to the bill digest for House Bill 1034 and Senate Bill 78 results surfaced by the legislature’s site. The Indiana governor’s office said the new law sets a “clearer standard” for limiting devices during the school day. (events.in.gov) The legislation also provides civil-liability protection, in good-faith cases, for schools and personnel complying with their wireless-device policies, according to the Senate Bill 78 page. ### Which devices and situations are covered? Senate Enrolled Act 78 covers more than phones. The governor’s office and local reports said the restrictions extend to smartwatches, gaming devices and similar personal wireless devices used by students during the school day. The law also carves out specific exceptions. (newsfromthestates.com) Braun’s office said schools must allow for emergencies, medical needs, and students whose accommodations are written into an IEP or a Section 504 plan. Those exceptions were repeated in local coverage of the signing. ### What will schools have to do before July 1? July 1 is the effective date written into the bill text and cited in state and local reports. (events.in.gov) By then, Indiana schools will be required to update their wireless communication device policies to match the new statewide standard, Braun’s office said. The Indiana Department of Education is also directed to publish model policy language and implementation guidance for schools. (events.in.gov) That state guidance is likely to shape how districts handle storage, enforcement and teacher-directed use, although the bill materials available online do not spell out one single statewide storage method. ### What evidence are officials and researchers pointing to? (events.in.gov) Mike Braun said “constant distraction affects learning, behavior, attention and mental health” when he promoted the law at Wednesday’s event. That argument has been central to similar school-phone efforts in other states. (legiscan.com) A February 2025 study published in *The Lancet Regional Health – Europe* found that students at schools with restrictive phone policies were not necessarily reporting better mental health, wellbeing or educational outcomes than students at schools with more permissive policies. Separate recent coverage of newer large-scale research said bans reduced in-school phone use but found little change in test scores or attendance, while some reports described eventual improvements in student wellbeing. (iga.in.gov) Those findings have added to implementation debates rather than settling them. ### Who pushed the bill through the legislature? Sen. Jeff Raatz and Sen. Greg Goode were listed as the bill’s authors on the Indiana General Assembly page, with Reps. (newsfromthestates.com) Jake Teshka and Julie McGuire among its House sponsors. The bill was signed by the governor on March 5 after clearing the legislature, according to the same page. Whiteland was the site of Braun’s ceremonial signing on May 13, where he stood with Raatz and Teshka as schools prepared for the next phase. The next concrete step is July 1, when Senate Enrolled Act 78 takes effect and Indiana schools must have updated device policies in place, with model guidance expected from the Indiana Department of Education. (newsfromthestates.com) (iga.in.gov) (thelancet.com)