SPRINGFIELD - Students in Illinois public schools will soon be barred from using cellphones and other personal wireless devices during school hours under a law signed Tuesday, July 28, 2026, by Gov. JB Pritzker, who said the statewide requirement is aimed at reducing distractions and keeping students focused on learning.
The measure, Senate Bill 2427, requires all school districts to adopt “bell-to-bell” policies before the start of the 2027-2028 school year. Pritzker signed the legislation at Elgin High School.
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“We want to make sure that every hour of school time can have the greatest possible positive impact,” Gov. Pritzker said at the bill signing ceremony. “We’re allowing every child to fully learn, participate, ask questions, and build the skills and interpersonal relationships that they need to thrive.”
Although many districts already have similar policies, the new law will require all districts to broadly restrict the use of “wireless communication devices” during school hours. The law covers cellphones, laptops, tablets, gaming devices and wearable devices such as smartwatches. It does not apply to devices issued by schools or teachers for educational purposes.
The law also requires districts to allow exceptions for devices used for medical reasons, special education purposes or language translation for students who are English language learners. Districts may also allow exceptions on a case-by-case basis for students who are caregivers for family members at home.
In addition, districts may choose to exclude a high school student’s lunch and passing periods from the definition of “school time.”
The legislation was championed by Pritzker, lead Senate sponsor Sen. Cristina Castro, D-Elgin, and lead House sponsor Rep. Michelle Mussman, D-Schaumburg. It also was backed by dozens of co-sponsors in both chambers, including Sens. Meg Loughran Cappel, David Koehler and Kimberly Lightford, and Reps. Fred Crespo and Matt Hanson.
