PROVIDENCE – The R.I. Senate on May 13 passed a bill prohibiting the use of personal electronic devices by students during school hours.
The legislation, filed by Sen. Melissa Murray, D-Woonsocket, would require all school districts to put in place a clear policy regulating the use of personal electronic devices on school grounds and during official school hours. The policies must also be submitted to the R.I. Department of Education.
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Exceptions would be made for students who require assistive technology as outlined in their Individualized Education Program or 504 plans, as well as for medical purposes such as glucose monitoring and for emergent multilingual learners needing language access, according to a Senate news release. Additionally, the policy allows for exceptions in emergency situations, and an amendment was added to ensure that schools are prohibited from searching through the contents of any student’s personal device.
The bill now heads to the R.I. House.
“While cellphones and other personal electronics are integral to our daily lives, they pose significant distractions in educational settings,” Murray said. “There is a growing consensus that students perform better academically, socially and emotionally in a device-free environment. This initiative will foster genuine interactions between students and educators, ultimately benefiting all Rhode Island schools.”
If enacted, the law would take effect on Aug. 1, 2026, aligning with the start of the academic year.
Currently, 15 states have enacted laws or policies banning or limiting cellphone use in classrooms, with several large school districts across the nation adopting similar measures.
In Rhode Island, several districts have already established policies banning or limiting personal electronic devices in schools.
Christopher Allen is a PBN staff writer. You may contact him at Allen@PBN.com.
