New York lawmakers agree on plan for 'bell-to-bell' school cellphone ban

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ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York state would ban cellphones in public schools “bell to bell” beginning with the next school year under an agreement announced late Monday by Gov. Kathy Hochul.

“We've protected our kids before from cigarettes, alcohol, and drunk driving, and now we're protecting them from addictive technology designed to hijack their attention,” Hochul said in announcing the plan as part of a tentative budget agreement with state lawmakers.

Hochul, a Democrat, did not immediately detail plans for the ban. Her office has previously said that schools would have some flexibility over how to implement it, with districts deciding how to store students’ devices during the school day. There would be exemptions for students who need access for medical reasons, to help with learning disabilities or because they don’t speak fluent English, she has said.

If approved, New York would join at least eight states — California, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia — that have enacted measures banning or restricting students’ use of cellphones in schools. Nationally, most schools say they prohibit cellphone use except for academic purposes, but educators say the rules are difficult to enforce when students are allowed to have the devices in hallways and at lunch.

“Bell-to-bell” bans like the one Hochul described are meant to remove the distraction altogether by restricting access during school hours, often over the objection of parents who say they want to be able to reach their kids during emergency situations.

New York City, which has the largest school district in the country, last year abandoned discussions for a cellphone ban because of parent concerns.

Lawmakers are expected to begin voting on the $254 billion state budget this week.