New Jersey signs legislation banning cellphones in schools

K-12 students in N e w Jersey will no longer be allowed to use their cellphones in school starting in the fall of 2026.

Gov. Phil Murphy (D-NJ) signed a bill into law on Thursday establishing “phone-free” schools in the Garden State. The bill, also supported by Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ), bars the “nonacademic use” of smartphones on school grounds during the school day. Murphy said the state has already seen the impact of phone-restricting policies in trial districts across the state.