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In a late-night move on the final day of the 2025 legislative session, Florida lawmakers voted to dramatically expand the state’s restrictions on student cellphone use in schools—banning devices entirely during the school day for elementary and middle schoolers and testing stricter enforcement at high schools in select counties.

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The proposal, led by Rep. Demi Busatta Cabrera (R–Coral Gables), tightens the current law, which only prohibits cellphone use during classroom instruction. Under the new measure—tucked inside a sweeping education bill (HB 1105)—students in elementary and middle schools will be barred from using their phones from “bell to bell.”

High schools, however, will see a more limited rollout. A pilot program will be launched in six counties—two each from small, medium, and large districts selected by the Florida Department of Education—to enforce the all-day cellphone ban on campus.

Sen. Danny Burgess (R–Zephyrhills), who championed the bill in the Senate, called it a “hybrid approach,” acknowledging that high schools present a “different dynamic” than younger grade levels.

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Not everyone was on board. Rep. Ashley Gantt (D–Miami) voiced concern that students on field trips would be unreachable if their phones were confiscated, leaving parents in the dark.

Busatta brushed off those concerns, pointing out that for decades, students survived without smartphones and could be reached through school front offices. “Just like we did it when we were in school… they would call the front desk,” she said.

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Despite the objections, the bill passed comfortably—85-14 in the House and 26-5 in the Senate—and is now headed to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desk for signature.

But buried within the bill was more than just the cellphone policy. Lawmakers also delivered new advantages for charter schools, including a requirement that they receive a proportionate share of local infrastructure surtax funds based on student enrollment—money that previously went only to traditional public schools.

Even more controversial: the bill removes a major safeguard that protected public schools from being easily converted into charters. Under current law, both a majority of teachers and a majority of parents must support such a change. This bill eliminates the requirement for teacher approval—potentially opening the door for faster and easier privatization of public education across Florida.

The education bill passed even as lawmakers failed to finalize a state budget, forcing a return to Tallahassee the week of May 12 to wrap up spending negotiations.

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