Michigan Lawmakers Push New School Cell Phone Ban

State representatives visit high schools to educate students on the new statewide policy.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 7:00am

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A dynamic, abstract painting featuring a fragmented image of a student's hand holding a smartphone, rendered in bold, overlapping brushstrokes of blue, green, and orange, conceptually representing the disruptive impact of cell phones in the classroom.Michigan's new statewide cell phone ban in schools seeks to curb classroom distractions and promote student focus.Negaunee Today

Two Michigan state representatives, Karl Bohnak and Mark Tisdel, are visiting high schools across the state to inform students about a new law banning cell phone use during school hours. The bipartisan legislation, which takes effect this upcoming school year, prohibits students from using their phones outside of the lunch period.

Why it matters

The new statewide cell phone ban aims to reduce classroom distractions and help students focus on their studies. It also removes the burden from individual school districts and administrators to enforce their own policies, allowing them to focus on other educational priorities.

The details

Under the new law, students will be required to keep their cell phones locked in their lockers during the school day, with the exception of the lunch hour. State Rep. Bohnak met with students at Negaunee High School in the Upper Peninsula to explain the new rules, while Rep. Tisdel, the bill's sponsor, says the state-level policy was necessary to ensure consistent enforcement across all 537 local school districts.

  • The new cell phone ban law will take effect at the start of the upcoming 2026-2027 school year.

The players

Karl Bohnak

A Michigan state representative who is visiting high schools to educate students on the new statewide cell phone ban.

Mark Tisdel

The Michigan state representative who sponsored the bipartisan legislation banning cell phone use in schools during the school day.

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What they’re saying

“'Keep them in your lockers, you can take them out during lunch hour, but that's it.'”

— Karl Bohnak, State Representative

“'If you were going to wait for 537 local school districts to design, implement, and actively enforce a cell phone policy, you could be waiting a long time. It removes that burden from the school districts, from the principals, from the teachers being the bad guy. Now Representative Tisdel can be the bad guy.'”

— Mark Tisdel, State Representative

What’s next

The new cell phone ban law will take effect at the start of the 2026-2027 school year, and state representatives will continue visiting high schools across Michigan to educate students on the policy changes.

The takeaway

Michigan's new statewide cell phone ban in schools aims to reduce classroom distractions and help students focus on their studies, while also removing the burden from individual school districts and administrators to enforce their own policies.