Legislation requiring schools to more strictly limit student cellphone use cleared a key Senate committee Wednesday after being amended to protect students with medical needs.
Senate Bill 78, authored by committee chairman Sen. Jeff Raatz, R-Richmond, passed in a 12-1 vote and now heads to the full Senate chamber.
The measure would require all public schools to adopt a ban that prohibits students from using or possessing a wireless communication device during the school day and requires that any teacher-directed use of a device “for educational purposes” occur only on school-supplied devices.
It also mandates that each district choose between two enforcement models: a “no device policy,” in which students may not bring phones to school at all; or a “secure storage policy,” in which students may bring phones but must store them so they are “inaccessible throughout the school day.”
The education committee on Wednesday also discussed legislation that seeks to revive proposed limitations on social media use for Hoosier children. A similar proposal passed the Senate in 2025 but died in the House. Amendments and a vote on the bill could come as early as next week.
The bill expands the definition of “wireless communication device” to include smartwatches connected to a phone, cell tower or the Internet.
Under current state law, students are prohibited from using phones during instructional time, but they can use them during lunch and passing periods.
Sen. J.D. Ford, D-Indianapolis, cast the lone no vote, though he said he could change his mind as the bill moves forward. All other Democrats on the committee joined Republicans in supporting the measure. Sen. Fady Qaddoura, D-Indianapolis, said he had some concerns but ultimately backed the legislation, calling it “good policy.”
The amended bill also clarifies that school cellphone policies cannot block students from using devices when necessary to manage a documented medical condition, so long as the student has an order from a licensed Indiana health care provider. Raatz cited students who rely on phones for diabetes monitoring, for example.
Supporters testified in December that stronger technology policies are needed because the rapid proliferation of smartphones has outpaced school rules and fueled student distractions and behavioral issues.
Some districts already use secure “bell-to-bell” storage systems, like locking pouches, during the school day. 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.
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