Indiana schools face stricter cellphone rules under new ‘bell-to-bell’ law starting July 1

This story was originally published by the Indiana Capital Chronicle.

Gov. Mike Braun ceremonially signed Indiana’s new “bell-to-bell” school cellphone restriction law Wednesday, saying the statewide policy is intended to reduce classroom distractions and keep students focused on learning throughout the school day.

The governor officially signed Senate Enrolled Act 78 March 5, just days after the measure earned bipartisan support in the General Assembly.

Braun was flanked by bill author Sen. Jeff Raatz, R-Richmond, and sponsor Rep. Jake Teshka, R-North Liberty, during Wednesday’s event in Whiteland.

“We’ve done a lot of ceremonial signings. But I’d say, of any bill that’s gone through the session this year, this one probably has caught as much attention as any,” Braun said. “It was needed.”

‘A Practical Step’

The new law — which takes effect July 1 — expands Indiana’s existing school cellphone restrictions by requiring schools to prohibit student use of personal wireless communication devices throughout the school day. 

The policy applies to cellphones, smart watches, gaming devices and similar electronics, while allowing exceptions for emergencies, medical needs and students with accommodations, such as Individualized Education Programs and 504 plans.

“This law strengthens Indiana schools cellphone policies so students can focus,” Braun said. “Teachers can teach, and classrooms can function as they should.”

Braun repeatedly framed the policy as part of a broader effort to improve student outcomes and classroom environments.

“Constant distraction affects learning, behavior, attention and mental health,” he said. “This is a practical step to restore focus on our schools and stop distractions and do what school is intended to do, teach and learn.”

The governor also called the legislation “one of the most significant statements of any state legislature on this particular issue,” noting other states are grappling with similar debates over student device use.

“Students should have the school days built around learning, reading, discussion, face to face interaction,” Braun said.

Indiana lawmakers first adopted statewide cellphone restrictions for schools in recent years, but educators returned to the Statehouse during the 2026 legislative session arguing earlier policies were difficult to consistently enforce because students could still carry phones during the school day.

Raatz said the updated law is designed to shift enforcement responsibilities away from teachers and onto school administrators.

“In the perfect world,” he continued, “no cellphone will get past the front door of the school.”

The law directs the Indiana Department of Education to develop model policy language and implementation directions for schools. That guidance has yet to be published, however.

Asked about concerns from parents accustomed to communicating with children during the school day, Raatz said schools must prioritize student safety and classroom learning.

“We send our kids to school, and we pay — take — tax dollars from everybody to make sure they get educated, so they can be successful,” he said. “And I think that not using a cellphone in the classroom, for me, sets that student up for success.”

More Restrictions on the Horizon?

Supporters who testified at the Statehouse earlier this year pointed to schools that already enforce stricter cellphone policies and reported improvements in student attention, engagement and behavioral problems.

Some Indiana schools already use locked pouches — like the Yondr Pouch — that students seal at the start of the day and unlock when leaving the building.

That process typically requires students to turn off or place their phone on airplane mode, secure it in the pouch under staff supervision, store it in a backpack or locker during the day, and unlock it at dismissal.

Schools can choose to use secure phone storage systems, like the locking pouches, which are estimated to cost roughly $15 to $30 per unit, but the new law does not require districts to purchase them.

So far, 26 states have mandated full bans on phones being used in schools and more than a dozen others have enacted other phone restrictions, according to Away for the Day, a nationwide campaign to stop phone use in schools.

Hoosier lawmakers also suggested broader conversations about student technology use in schools could continue in upcoming legislative sessions.

Teshka said Wednesday that legislators are increasingly examining how school-issued devices such as Chromebooks and tablets affect student attention spans and classroom instruction.

“There’s a growing chorus of folks across the country, neuroscientists, educators, folks from different walks of life, that are looking at device usage in a kind of a more holistic sense,” Teshka said.

He added that lawmakers are asking questions about “what are the effects on a developing brain of being, you know, in front of a device for a certain amount of time during the day.”

Scott Setser, a bus driver and local school board member, additionally asked the governor whether the state might eventually expand the policy beyond classrooms.

Braun suggested additional revisions to state law could come later.

“There’s always next year,” Braun said, “where you can look at something like that to see if it makes sense.”

Indiana Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Indiana Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Niki Kelly for questions: info@indianacapitalchronicle.com.