“Bell-to-Bell” Ban: NJ Legislature Passes Historic Bill to Strip Cell Phones from Schools

Cell Phone Ban

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

TRENTON, NJ — The era of scrolling during study hall may be coming to a permanent end in New Jersey. In a decisive move that has swept through the State House, New Jersey lawmakers have officially sent a bill to Governor Phil Murphy’s desk that would ban student cell phone use throughout the entire school day.

The legislation, which passed with a unanimous vote in the Senate and a resounding majority in the Assembly, represents one of the most significant shifts in New Jersey education policy in a decade.

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What the “Bell-to-Bell” Ban Means for Students

Unlike previous district-level policies that only targeted cell phone use inside classrooms, this state mandate goes much further. If signed, the bill will prohibit non-academic device use from the moment the first bell rings until the final dismissal.

Key Provisions of the Bill:

• Total Prohibition: Use is banned during the entire school day, including lunch and passing periods.

• Broad Scope: The rules apply to any device that can connect to the internet, covering school buses and school-sanctioned events.

• Emergency Exceptions: The bill explicitly allows for phone use during an emergency or in response to a perceived threat of danger.

• Specialized Use: Authorizes device use for translation services or students with specific educational permissions.

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Why Lawmakers Are Taking “Bold Action”

State Senator Paul Moriarty, the bill’s primary sponsor, argues that the digital distraction has become a barrier to actual education.

“I just feel like school is a place that learning should take place,” Moriarty said. “If we take cell phones out of the classroom experience, we’ll have kids with less anxiety, kids who are interacting with each other and their teacher more.”

Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin echoed these sentiments, citing numerous studies that show a direct correlation between “bell-to-bell” bans and improved student mental health and academic performance.

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The Pushback: “Stupid Laws Made by Senior Citizens?”

Despite the overwhelming support, the bill faced sharp criticism from Assemblyman Brian Bergen, who argued that the state is overstepping its bounds.

Bergen compared the ban to the failed attempts to outlaw pagers in the 1990s. “When all of us that are in our 40s were in school, did you know that it was illegal to have a pager? It was a stupid law made by people and the schools didn’t care and we all had them anyway.” Bergen contends that these decisions should be left to local school boards, not state legislators.

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Next Steps: Will Governor Murphy Sign It?

All signs point to “Yes.” Governor Phil Murphy has been a vocal proponent of a statewide ban for over a year. He highlighted the “bell-to-bell” initiative during his 2025 State of the State address and has recently called it a top priority for his administration.

New Jersey joins a massive national trend; 39 out of 50 states have now taken steps to limit or ban mobile devices in schools, reflecting a rare moment of bipartisan agreement across the country.

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Fast Facts: The NJ School Cell Phone Ban

Feature	Details
Status	Passed Legislature; Awaiting Governor’s Signature
Coverage	All K-12 public schools in New Jersey
Duration	“Bell-to-Bell” (The entire school day)
Exceptions	Emergencies, threat of danger, translation needs
Implementation	Education Commissioner to provide guidelines to local boards

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