House Bill 1009, which would ban cellphones in high schools around the state, passed the Senate unanimously Monday, and is headed for Gov. Brian Kemp's desk.
The state legislature passed a measure last year banning cellphones in school up to eighth grade, so this bill would essentially be extending the existing ban to include high schoolers.
Over 30 U.S. states have restrictions on student usage of cellphones in schools as of early 2026, according to Education Week.
Rep. Scott Hilton, R-Peachtree Corners, was behind both bans in Georgia.
In an X post, Hilton celebrated the bill's passage in the Senate.
Today was a great day for students, parents and teachers in Georgia!
H.B. 1009 passed the State Senate with a unanimous vote.
Cell phone free schools have shown:
✅ Better grades
✅ Improved mental health
✅ Fewer fights
✅ Higher test scores pic.twitter.com/nZk8xh4kia— Rep. Scott Hilton 🇺🇸 (@ScottHiltonGA) March 23, 2026
"Beginning no later than July 1, 2027, no public school student in grades nine through 12 shall be permitted to access personal electronic devices during the school day," the bill reads.
Under the bill, cellphones, tablets, smartwatches, headphones, laptops and other electronic devices that can be used to communicate with other devices would not be allowed.
Exemptions are possible for students who require these devices for medical needs or Individual Education Plans IEP).
A 2024 poll by the National Education Association found 90% of teachers support a ban on cellphones during instructional time.
NEA members working in schools without policies related to cellphone use during the school day, said the devices disrupt their teaching, the poll showed.
