California Smartphone Ban Bill Shifts Focus to Younger Grades After High School Pushback

California’s effort to implement a statewide smartphone ban in public schools has been revised to apply only to students in transitional kindergarten through eighth grade, following concerns from high schools and lawmakers about enforcement and parent communication.

The amended version of Assembly Bill 1644, introduced by Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi of Torrance, now proposes a bell-to-bell ban on student smartphone use during school hours for TK-8, while strongly encouraging—but not requiring—high schools to adopt similar policies. The bill passed the Assembly Education Committee on April 22, 2026, and advances to the Appropriations Committee.

Muratsuchi originally sought a comprehensive ban covering all grades, citing distractions, mental health risks, and declining attention spans linked to smartphone use. He noted that at least 10 states, including New York and Texas, have already enacted similar bans. However, the Education Committee delayed the hearing twice due to concerns about schools scrambling to comply with a 2024 law requiring smartphone restriction policies by July 1, 2026, and worries about limiting students’ ability to contact parents during the school day.

Under the revised bill, schools must ensure parents have at least one method of contacting students during school hours. Exceptions to the ban would be permitted for safety, health, and educational purposes, including when a teacher authorizes phone use for instructional activities.

The legislation is co-authored by Assemblymembers Josh Hoover (Republican, Folsom), Josh Lowenthal (Democrat, Long Beach), and Buffy Wicks (Democrat, Oakland). Wicks emphasized that smartphones, while useful, are “incredibly disruptive, distracting and addictive” and that school time should be reserved for learning.

If enacted, AB 1644 would replace the more flexible 2024 mandate signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, which allowed local districts to design their own policies. The bill aligns California with a growing number of states implementing bell-to-bell phone bans in schools, including Virginia, Oregon, Arkansas, North Dakota, Nebraska, Alabama, Louisiana, and Georgia.

Supporters argue the ban would improve academic focus, reduce cyberbullying, and support student mental health. Opponents, including some educators and parents, contend that smartphone decisions should remain under local control and that phones serve as vital tools for communication and emergency access.

The bill’s progression reflects an ongoing national debate over balancing technology’s benefits with its impact on youth development, with similar proposals under consideration in other states.

Key Takeaways

• California’s proposed statewide smartphone ban now targets students in transitional kindergarten through eighth grade, not high schools.
• High schools would be strongly encouraged—but not required—to adopt bell-to-bell phone restrictions.
• The bill mandates that schools provide parents with at least one way to contact students during school hours.
• Exceptions are allowed for safety, health, and educational purposes with teacher approval.
• If passed, California would join at least 10 other states with statewide school smartphone bans.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What grades would be affected by the smartphone ban under AB 1644?
   The ban would apply to students in transitional kindergarten through eighth grade. High schools would be encouraged to adopt similar policies but would not be required to do so.
2. Can students still use phones for educational purposes?
   Yes. Teachers may authorize smartphone use for instructional activities, and exceptions are permitted for health, safety, and educational reasons.
3. How will parents contact their children during school hours?
   The bill requires schools to ensure parents have at least one method of contacting students during the school day, though it does not specify the exact method.
4. Has California already passed a smartphone ban in schools?
   Not yet. A 2024 law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom requires districts to implement smartphone restriction policies by July 1, 2026, but AB 1644 would replace it with a more uniform statewide mandate for younger grades.
5. Which other states have implemented similar bans?
   At least 10 states, including Texas, New York, Virginia, Oregon, Arkansas, North Dakota, Nebraska, Alabama, Louisiana, and Georgia, have enacted bell-to-bell smartphone bans in public schools.