California Gov. Vows Crackdown on Phones in Schools

California Gov. Gavin Newsom hopes to push through legislation before to the start of the upcoming school year that will greatly restrict the use of cellphones in classrooms, Politico reported Tuesday.

Drafting off a similiar push by the Los Angeles County Unified School District (LAUSD) and a recent surgeon general's report, Newson is hoping to lead the most populous state in the union to implement restrictions by August.

"As the surgeon general affirmed, social media is harming the mental health of our youth," Newsom, a Democrat, told Politico on Tuesday. "Building on legislation I signed in 2019, I look forward to working with the legislature to restrict the use of smartphones during the school day. When children and teens are in school, they should be focused on their studies — not their screens."

Earlier Tuesday the LAUSD said it was considering a ban on smartphones for the over 400,000 students under its umbrella. The move of the LAUSD and Newsom followed a statement by U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, who on Monday called for a warning label on social media platforms. Murthy published an op-ed in the New York Times in which he called for a list of provisions for social media safety legislation.

Legislation that targets the pernicious effects of social media will likely be a rare bipartisan issue, although finding common ground against pushback from the tech industry and free speech advocates may prove difficult. Sens Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn. and Richard Blumenthal's, D-Conn. called for the passage of their Kids Online Safety Act after Murthy's statement.

"Many people know about Surgeon General's warning. They've seen them on alcohol bottles or on tobacco products," Murthy said. "I think our office has a long history of being trusted on issues related to public health."

California's efforts follow similar legislation from Florida in 2023 and Indiana in April that ban cellphones during class time.

• Los Angeles Schools to Consider Ban on Smartphones
• More States Pressing Schools to Ban Cell Phones in Classroom