A bipartisan group of Colorado lawmakers wants to reduce distracting cell phone use in public schools that can cause depression, anxiety and worse educational outcomes.

A bill introduced in the House of Representatives on Wednesday would require school boards across the state to craft a cell phone use policy for their districts.

“At its core, this legislation is about minimizing the technology distractions in the classroom so we can better prioritize student mental health and allow them to learn without constant distractions,” Representative Meghan Lukens, a Steamboat Springs Democrat, said during a press conference at the state Capitol.

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The bill, which would include charter schools, would not impose a statewide ban on student cell phone use in schools.

Lukens is running the bill alongside Representative Mary Bradfield, a Colorado Springs Republican, Senator Lisa Frizell, a Castle Rock Republican, and Senator Janice Marchman, a Loveland Democrat.

Nineteen states currently have policies that limit cell phone use in schools. Three states — Florida, Louisiana and South Carolina — have statewide restrictions in place. Others, such as California, require schools to have a policy in place that restricts cell phone use during the school day. Most of these state laws have been passed in the previous two years.

Lukens said that two-thirds of large school districts in Colorado do not have a cell phone policy in place.

A 2023 advisory from the U.S. Surgeon General warns that social media use among young people is associated with poor mental health, especially among adolescent girls. Research also shows that cell phone use during instruction time has adverse effects on student learning.

“Over the last decade, the widespread adoption of smartphones are one of the main causes of why young people are suffering, why bullying is on the rise, why self harm is on the rise, why distraction is on the rise, why kids are not sleeping at night — getting constant notifications and distracted during the day, even in school,” said Attorney General Phil Weiser, a Democrat who recently announced his campaign for governor in 2026.

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Weiser highlighted the work of Mesa County Valley School District 51 in Grand Junction to form and enact its cell phone use policy last year. The districtwide policy prohibits high school students from having their phones during class periods and doesn’t allow middle and elementary school students to have their phones at all during the day. The implementation varies from school to school and takes various forms such as phone pocket holders on classroom doors, phone lockers or special lockable phone pouches.

Superintendent Brian Hill said the policy was a result of collaborative stakeholding with students, parents and teachers and has drawn positive feedback from those groups.

“The results have been powerful. Students are more engaged. Teachers are reclaiming instructional time,” he said. “We’re hearing from students now saying ‘I actually want my phone less, even outside of school hours, and I’m talking with friends more because of this policy.’”

The bill would require school boards to adopt a policy that limits cell phone use in schools by July 2026. That policy could give teachers discretion to allow phones for educational purposes, for example, or allow phones during lunch.

It would need to consider wearable technology such as smart watches, as well as students with independent education plans or medical needs who may need to access their phone more frequently, such as a diabetic student who uses a smartphone application connected to their insulin pump.

“This bill encourages parents, school districts and students to work together on a cell phone policy that best suits their respective communities,” Frizell said.

Colorado Newsline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Colorado Newsline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Quentin Young for questions: info@coloradonewsline.com.