Gov. Murphy signs bill to ban cellphones in classrooms

Students will be able to use their phones in case of an emergency, for translation services, and in cases where a health care professional indicates that access to a phone is necessary.

By: Sophie Nieto-Munoz

Outlets: New Jersey Monitor

Published: January 8, 2026

Words: 563

Last Updated: 1 month ago

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New Jersey public school districts will be required to bar their students from using cellphones and other smart devices during school hours under a bill signed into law by Gov. Phil Murphy Thursday.

Murphy, a Democrat whose second term ends on Jan. 20, had made banning phones during class a priority of his final year in office. He signed the bill during a ceremony in Ramsey High School, where classrooms have …

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