Massachusetts House Passes Bell-to-Bell Cell Phone Ban and Social Media Restrictions for Children

BOSTON — April 8, 2026 — Massachusetts House passes sweeping bell-to-bell cell phone ban and social media restrictions for school-aged children. The House voted 129-25 Tuesday to engross Senate Bill 2581, now titled "An Act Promoting Safe Technology Use and Distraction Free Education for Youth," which bans personal electronic devices in public schools during the entire school day and prohibits children under 14 from accessing social media, requiring parental consent for 14- and 15-year-olds. Representative Kenneth I. Gordon of Bedford, who led floor debate, told colleagues that "the vast majority of superintendents asked us to impose this ban bell-to-bell," while Representative Carole A. Fiola of Fall River cited BMC Durfey High School Principal Dr. Jessica Stevens's description of a cafeteria of 2,700 students suddenly "in conversations, games, discussion" after Fall River's 2024 phone ban. A consolidated amendments package from House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz passed 155-0; a separate amendment allowing class-to-class rather than bell-to-bell enforcement, backed by Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. of North Reading, was rejected on a voice vote. The House also voted 155-0 earlier in the day to accept a conference committee report overhauling cannabis regulations, shrinking the Cannabis Control Commission from five to three governor-appointed commissioners and raising the per-operator license cap from three to six.