California To Require All School Districts To Restrict Student Smartphone Use by 2026

California public schools must implement smartphone restrictions during the school day, starting in July 2026, as mandated by the Assembly Bill 3216 signed into law in 2024. This law requires each district to establish policies regarding student smartphone use, either restricting or prohibiting it. Furthermore, the legislation stipulates that these policies must be updated every five years to remain current. Governor Newsom previously signed a law in 2019 that provided schools the option to regulate smartphone use.