LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan House on Wednesday approved legislation that would bar cellphone usage during instructional time in Michigan K-12 public schools, with some exceptions for medical conditions or emergencies.

The long-sought change to state law, which would apply to all Michigan public schools, also needs approval from the state Senate before heading to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's desk. Whitmer has previously endorsed the concept of a cellphone ban in Michigan schools.

The legislation over the last couple of years has gone through several iterations as the Republican-led House and Democratic-led Senate negotiated a version of the bill on which both chambers could agree. It passed the House Wednesday 99-10 with broad bipartisan support.

Under the approved legislation, school districts could adopt policies stricter than the state law. But all districts would have to, at a minimum, follow a prohibition on cellphone use during class.

State Rep. Mark Tisdel, R-Rochester Hills, first introduced the legislation in 2023 after reading an expanding body of research on the issues cellphone usage is causing in classrooms across the nation.

He estimated that about 40 of the more than 500 school districts in Michigan already have a cellphone policy that is enforced. But the landscape of rules is a patchwork, Tisdel said, and a uniform state law on the issue gives school policies greater weight when challenged by students or parents.

"Something needs to be done," Tisdel said. "It was just something that was born out of the interest in our office, and we started writing it, and I'm very proud of the fact it was an idea strong enough to catch on without great advocacy support."

The legislation, and a tie-barred bill from state Sen. Dayna Polehanki, are expected to find support in the Senate in the coming weeks.

Polehanki, a Livonia Democrat whose introduced similar legislation in the Senate, said Wednesday that she's been working "hand-in-hand" with Tisdel to find common ground on a final version of the bill.

"The two us have an agreement of how to move forward," Polehanki said.

Polehanki's legislation is likely to include training guidelines for teachers and administrators who enforce the rules and exemptions.

House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, said early Wednesday that "a lot of pressure is building" for House and Senate Democrats to move forward on the legislation.

"I’m hopeful the Democrats take this gift and vote yes," he said.

The legislation would require school districts to adopt cellphone policies for the fall start of the school year that prohibit student use of a wireless communication device on school grounds during instructional hours.

The bill includes exemptions to the ban for medically necessary devices, any school-owned or instruction-linked devices, any devices used for special education or the use of devices in the event of an emergency. The law also allows for the possession of flip phones or other non-smartphone devices.

Roughly 38 other states have adopted statewide bans or restrictions on cellphone usage in schools, Tisdel said.

There is no enforcement mechanism or penalty in the proposed legislation for schools that fail to implement and enforce the cellphone usage prohibition. But Tisdel said the Legislature could implement one if needed.

"If it becomes a problem, the state ultimately has control of the purse," Tisdel said of the Legislature's power over the K-12 education budget. "But we're not anticipating that."

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