I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2700 
To require State educational agencies to implement policies prohibiting the 
use or possession of personal mobile phones by students in public school 
classrooms during school hours, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 7, 2025 
Mr. VINDMAN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Education and Workforce 
A BILL 
To require State educational agencies to implement policies 
prohibiting the use or possession of personal mobile 
phones by students in public school classrooms during 
school hours, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Utilize No Phones in 
Learning to Unleash Growth in Grades and Educate Dis-
traction-free Act of 2025’’ or the ‘‘UNPLUGGED Act of 
2025’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) Public education is critical to the economic 
vitality, national security, and democratic govern-
ance of the United States. 
(2) Disruptions to the educational process di-
rectly affect national productivity, civic engagement, 
and workforce development. 
(3) The excessive use of mobile phones during 
school hours significantly impairs the ability of 
schools to maintain effective educational environ-
ments. 
(4) A growing body of peer-reviewed literature 
has documented the detrimental effects of mobile 
phone usage in classrooms on attention, academic 
performance, and mental health. 
(5) Studies published in journals such as Com-
puters in Human Behavior, Educational Psychology, 
and the Journal of Adolescent Health have shown 
that the presence of mobile phones in academic set-
tings correlates with reduced focus, lower test 
scores, increased academic procrastination, and 
higher levels of anxiety and depression among stu-
dents. 
(6) Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, in both 
his academic work and public commentary, has— 
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(A) extensively documented the relation-
ship between the rise of smartphone use among 
adolescents and the decline in mental health in-
dicators; 
(B) produced research pointing to a sharp 
increase in rates of anxiety, depression, and 
self-harm beginning around 2012–2013, coin-
ciding with widespread smartphone and social 
media adoption among teenagers; and 
(C) argued that overexposure to digital de-
vices and online platforms undermines the de-
velopment of resilience, emotional regulation, 
and in-person social connection. 
(7) Limiting in-school phone access is essential 
to reversing harmful psychological and academic 
trends in American youth. 
(8) The presence of mobile phones in edu-
cational settings contributes to increased rates of 
bullying, cyber harassment, academic dishonesty, 
and classroom distractions, thereby undermining the 
core mission of public education. 
(9) These issues are not confined to a single 
state or region and are national in scope, with simi-
lar patterns of disruption and diminished student 
outcomes reported across state lines. 
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(10) The cumulative effect of diminished edu-
cational achievement has a substantial impact on the 
national economy and workforce preparedness. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that each State educational agency, in coordination 
with each local educational agency served by the State 
educational agency and in consultation with educators, 
parents, and students, should establish and enforce a pol-
icy that— 
(1) enables parents to notify students through 
school officials about forgotten items, changes in 
pick-up times, and other common issues; and 
(2) enables schools to communicate with par-
ents regarding time-sensitive items. 
SEC. 3. PROHIBITION OF STUDENT PHONE POSSESSION IN 
SCHOOLS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than the first school 
year beginning after the date of enactment of this Act, 
each State educational agency, in coordination with each 
local educational agency served by the State educational 
agency and in consultation with educators, parents, and 
students, shall establish and enforce a policy that prohibits 
student possession or use of personal electronic devices, 
including personal mobile phones, in public schools during 
school hours. 
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(b) SECURE STORAGE METHODS.—A personal elec-
tronic device policy established pursuant to subsection (a) 
may include a requirement that public schools use secure 
storage methods, including— 
(1) lockable lockers; 
(2) secure lock boxes; 
(3) magnetic pouches or other signal-blocking 
storage devices; or 
(4) other technologies or materials deemed ap-
propriate by the State educational agency. 
(c) EXCEPTIONS.—A personal electronic device policy 
established pursuant to subsection (a) may permit excep-
tions for— 
(1) students with medical or health conditions 
that require the use of a mobile phone or other per-
sonal electronic device as part of a treatment or 
monitoring plan, as certified by a licensed healthcare 
provider; 
(2) students with disabilities or special needs 
for whom access to a personal mobile phone or other 
personal electronic device is— 
(A) documented as necessary in an individ-
ualized education program; or 
(B) included as part of services or accom-
modations provided to the student pursuant to 
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