Pritzker's classroom cellphone ban OK'd by Illinois Senate

SPRINGFIELD — A bill that would ban cellphones in classrooms sailed through the Illinois Senate on Wednesday, bringing one of Gov. JB Pritzker’s top legislative priorities this session one step closer to reality. The legislation, sponsored by Sen.

Cristina Castro, D-Elgin, would require Illinois school districts by the start of the 2026-27 school year to enact policies barring the use of cellphones, laptops, tablets and other wireless communication devices during classroom instruction time. The ban would not extend to school-issued devices, and is not "bell to bell," meaning cellphone use would still be permitted during lunch, recess and passing periods. It passed out of the Illinois Senate with no opposition.



“This is setting the floor, not the ceiling," Castro said. "Students need to focus on what's going on in the classroom," she added. "We want to help them be successful.

Let's get the distracting devices out of their hands and have their noses in those books.” Pritzker called for a classroom cellphone ban during his combined budget and State of the State address in February, identifying the handheld devices as an impediment to student learning. If the bill reaches Pritzker's desk, Illinois would join California, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia, which have already passed some variation of a cellphone ban.

Several other states are also considering restrictions on the devices. “It's long overdue, the challenges that teachers have when they're competing in the classroom with cellphones — it makes it very difficult for teachers to teach, and that's what we want them to do,” said state Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris.

The legislation now heads to the Illinois House..