Michigan House passes bill to ban cell phones in classrooms

State lawmakers in the Michigan House of Representatives passed a bill to ban student phone use in classrooms, following in the footsteps of many states with device policies to curb the impact a proliferation of screens has had at schools, from distractions to cyberbullying.

The bill introduced by state Rep. Mark Tisdel, R-Rochester Hills, to ban smartphones and other wireless communications devices such as laptops and tablets for K-12 students during instructional time passed with wide bipartisan support Wednesday, Jan. 14.

“Every parent knows that phones are addictive devices. We’ve got to give kids their childhood back,” Tisdel said in a statement.

It marked the first vote of 2026 in the divided Michigan Legislature following a year that saw some marquee bipartisan policies pass but stood out for the historically low number of bills signed into law and its fierce partisan fights. If signed into law by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, the phone ban would take effect for the 2026-2027 school year.

Under the bill, students could use phones during breaks such as recess or lunch. Tisdel earlier sought to ban middle and elementary school students from using phones during the entire school day, mirroring other states with a so-called bell-to-bell cell phone ban in place.

Cell phone bans are relatively new, but one recent study on the impact of phone bans in schools found that a Florida school district observed an improvement in student test scores following the restriction and indicated that the ban decreased unexcused absences.

The bill creates exceptions for devices in classrooms issued by the school and medically necessary devices, as well as those used for special education programming and specific lessons. Additionally, it would create an exception for phone use during emergency situations. Tisdel’s legislation is tied to a bill introduced by state Sen. Dayna Polehanki, D-Livonia, requiring school districts to develop a protocol outlining when and how students can use cell phones and other devices in an emergency.

Polehanki — who chairs the Senate Education Committee — said she would like to see her bill voted out of the Michigan Senate and sent to the House as soon as possible, and she celebrated the vote on Tisdel’s legislation, expressing hope that it will pass in the Senate.

Some Michigan school districts already have cell phone restrictions in place, but they’re not required to under current state law. The Michigan Senate in 2025 passed a bill that would require school districts to create policies to limit students’ cell phone use rather than establish the statewide policy as proposed by Tisdel.

The competing proposals found themselves caught in a partisan feud.

In a vote several months ago, Tisdel’s bill failed to garner enough support in the Michigan House. The flop led to finger-pointing as Republicans claimed Democrats broke an agreement to pass the policy and Democrats countered that there wasn’t a deal. The impasse meant the school year began without a statewide policy restricting phone use in school that Whitmer called for in her 2025 State of the State speech outlining her priorities for the year.

To land legislation on Whitmer’s desk, both chambers of the Michigan Legislature must pass the same version of the bill. House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, said during a Jan. 14 news conference that he hopes the governor has an opportunity to sign a cell phone policy into law before she delivers her 2026 State of the State speech.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan House passes bill to ban cell phones in classrooms

Reporting by Clara Hendrickson, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press

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