Gov. Pillen Testifies on Legislation to Ban Cell Phones in Schools

LINCOLN, NE – Today, Governor Jim Pillen testified before the Nebraska State Legislature’s Education Committee on LB140 which proposes banning the use of cell phones by students at school. Senator Rita Sanders introduced the bill at the request of the Governor.  

“There are two reasons for this bill. First, it addresses what has become one of the most frequent and difficult to manage distractions in the classroom – students’ cell phones,” said Gov. Pillen. “The second reason for this legislation is the serious impact that constant cell phone use has on our kids.” 

LB140 requires the school boards of each public school district to adopt a policy establishing the rules and standards for cell usage. The bill also spells out certain exceptions like when the cell phone is authorized by a teacher for educational purposes, in the case of an emergency, and for monitoring and management of a student’s health care situation.  

During his testimony, Gov. Pillen referenced findings from Jonathan Haidt’s book, The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness. Haidt noted that young people receive 192 alerts from top social apps each day, equating to 11 notifications per waking hour, or one notification every five minutes. 

Sen. Sanders said that for students to have the best chance of success in school, creating an educational environment free from digital distraction is key. “I am committed to supporting policies that prioritize the well-being and academic growth of every student. By removing electronic communication devices from the classroom, we can create that environment, allowing both teachers and students to fully succeed." 

“Our teachers need to be focused on helping their students learn, not policing cell phone use. LB140 provides a commonsense approach to this issue, so that all our schools are on a level playing field,” said Gov. Pillen.  

After the Governor addressed the committee, Attorney General Mike Hilgers and Department of Education Commissioner Dr. Brian Maher also testified in support of the bill.