JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe signed 13 bills into law on Wednesday, including a major education measure that bans students from using cell phones during the school day.
The legislation, Senate Bill 68, prohibits students from using personal phones “from the beginning of the school day until the end of the school day.” The ban takes effect in the 2026–27 school year and applies to all students from kindergarten through 12th grade.
Starting with the 2025–26 school year, school districts and charter schools must implement written policies on student phone use. These policies must ban phones during instructional time, meals, and passing periods between classes.
However, the law makes exceptions for emergencies such as fires, tornadoes, earthquakes, active shooter situations, evacuations, and medical emergencies. It also allows phone use for students with disabilities or for specific educational or medical reasons.
Instead of setting statewide penalties, the law gives school districts the authority to decide how to handle violations.
An August 2024 SLU/YouGov poll showed strong public backing for the ban, with 72% of respondents supporting restrictions on high school students using phones during school hours. Support remained strong across party lines.
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