State Republicans push through bill to remove cellphones in elementary, middle schools

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - A bill to keep cellphones out of the hands of elementary and middle school students in Georgia public schools now heads to Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk for his signature.

The bill is called the Distraction Free Education Act. The bill’s sponsor, State Rep. Scott Hilton, explained the bill means that cellphones must be stored away from bell to bell, but how schools choose to do so will be left up to to each district.

“There are many school systems here in Georgia that have already implemented a policy, and the results are staggering. Schools have literally transformed. In classrooms and lunch halls, kids talk to each other, interact, and socialize,” said Hilton.

He estimates this would impact more than 1 million students.

State senators overwhelmingly voted to support the measure. Democrats got behind the bill after proposing amendments.

State Sen. Randy Robertson called it “the first real school safety legislation he’d heard all year.” He argued cellphones pose a threat to students.

“Cellphones have become a cancer for schools,” said Robertson.

The two no votes were from Republicans, including Republican State Sen. Colton Moore, who took issue with the state of education on the Senate floor.

“This type of legislation is proof that teachers cannot implement a standard of discipline in the classroom, and shouldn’t we do more to implement a standard of discipline,” he said.

Marietta City schools implemented a similar plan already by purchasing Yondr pouches.

“I think there are a lot of teachers, not just in Marietta, but throughout metro Atlanta, who feel like they are losing the battle when it comes to student learning and cell phones,” said Superintendent Grant Rivera.

Parents in the Marietta City Schools district remain split on the investment. Some parents expressed fears that if there was an emergency, they would want their child to have a cellphone to contact them.

“I think this is something a lot of parents and people in our community are going to be upset about,” said Layla Contreras, an Apalachee High School graduate whose sister was at the school at the time of the deadly 2024 school shooting. “They were using each others’ phones, you know, they had access, it was on their person at the time, and you know, during this incident, that was sometimes the only way we could see if they were still alive.”

State Sen. Jason Anavitarte stated that if there is an emergency, phones could further endanger students.

“If a child, even if it was my own, was sitting in the classroom was texting somebody, not paying attention. I think it creates an unnecessary danger to that child and the classroom. First and foremost is to create a safe environment, and we have to trust our teachers,” said Anavitarte.

The bill’s sponsor did not ruling out expanding cellphone removal to high schools, possibly in the next session.

RELATED: Marietta City Schools cell phone ban could expand to include high schoolers

“I think it’s upsetting. I think students being able to have access to a communication device is so important, especially after what our community has gone through,” said Contreras.

The ban would not begin until summer 2026.

Atlanta News First reached out to metro Atlanta school districts about how they will implement collecting cellphones during class.

“We will review all legislation from this session, which affects Cobb classrooms, as they are signed by the governor into law,” a Cobb County School District spokesperson said.

Many spokespersons for other districts had similar responses.