High school students across Georgia will soon face tighter restrictions on cell phone use during the school day after Governor Brian Kemp signed House Bill 1009 into law Tuesday.
The new legislation requires all public high schools and school systems in Georgia to establish policies limiting student access to cell phones in classrooms during the school day. School districts will now be responsible for creating and enforcing their own policies under the statewide mandate.
Governor Kemp said the measure is designed to reduce classroom distractions and improve student performance.
“The bills I signed today implement proven strategies to improve literacy and math scores, reduce distractions in the classroom, expand pathways to graduation, and further support hardworking educators and families,” Kemp said in a statement. “These are just the latest steps we’ve taken to create opportunity for all Georgians, no matter their zip code.”
The new law builds on legislation passed last year by the Georgia General Assembly. House Bill 340, known as the “Distraction-Free Education Act,” prohibited students in kindergarten through eighth grade from using cell phones in classrooms. That measure was signed into law by Kemp on May 9, 2025.
State leaders say the expanded restrictions are aimed at improving focus, reducing interruptions during instruction, and creating a more productive learning environment for students and teachers statewide.