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In 2023, a pair of North Carolina senators introduced a bill that would have required the state to study cell phone policies across schools.
Its goal: to understand how districts were policing students’ use of phones during the day, and how they impacted learning, safety and cyberbullying.
The bill failed to gain traction, and the study never materialized. Two years later, as the General Assembly prepares to begin the 2025 session in earnest, those senators are ready to bypass the research stage.
Sen. Jim Burgin (R-Harnett). Photo: NCGA
“I’m well beyond the thinking that we need to do a study,” said Sen. Jim Burgin (R-Harnett). “I think we need to take action.”
Burgin and Sen. Jay Chaudhuri (D-Wake) are drafting a bill that would create statewide guidance for districts. The final details are still fluid, but Burgin said he is pushing for a total ban on phones in schools for students in fifth grade and younger — and restrictions from “bell-to-bell,” or the entire school day, for students older than fifth grade (and potentially also teachers).
That could mean using products like Yondr’s locking pouches, designed to keep phones secure but inaccessible in specific places like classrooms. (Costs are a factor — Burgin roughly estimated that under his proposed system, the amount of pouches needed would cost the state about $5 million.)
The pair have spoken with parents, teachers, board members and clinical psychologists as they develop the bill. And this past weekend, lawmakers gathered at a retreat with the Hunt Institute to discuss a range of educational issues — including cell phone use.
Sen. Jay Chaudhuri (D-Wake). Photo: NCGA
“We’ve seen the impact that cell phones have on kids, in terms of deterring kids from spending more time outdoors,” Chaudhuri said. “We’ve seen studies that show that cell phone use is distracting our kids in the classroom.”
Nineteen states have passed some form of policy on cell phones in schools — ranging from incentive programs for schools to full statewide restrictions.
Both senators said they expected the issue to garner bipartisan interest, including from the Republican leader of the Senate.
“The use of cell phones in the schools is, in many respects, disruptive to the learning environment,” Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) told reporters on Jan. 8.
“And the real question is, do we allow the local systems to adopt policies? Do we need to step in at the state level? I’m sure we’ll have conversations about that. I do actually think that we need to find a way to limit the availability of cell phones.”
Chaudhuri said members were also discussing the possibility of requiring the Department of Public Instruction to issue cell phone guidance to districts, rather than directly legislating it.
Catherine Truitt, the previous superintendent of public instruction, was opposed to a statewide ban on phones — preferring to leave the matter to districts.
The new superintendent Mo Green, a Democrat, said on the campaign trail that “we’ve got to figure out ways to limit the access of cell phones in schools.” But he’s yet to declare his official stance.
“Cell phones can be a powerful tool for expanding access to information, but they can also be a distraction for students in a classroom setting,” Green said in a statement to NC Newsline. “As I begin my tenure as state superintendent, I am engaging with educators, parents and students across our state to learn more about their experiences and opinions on this topic. After that engagement, I will offer my thoughts about this topic.”
Still, concerns remain about potential restrictions. Parents have argued that cutting off students’ access to their phones would prevent them from communicating during an emergency; tech advocates argue policing their use can also cut off new avenues of learning.
Some education groups are staying mum on the topic for now.
The Public School Forum, a North Carolina-based think tank, has not yet decided on a stance, senior director of policy and research Lauren Fox said. And the head of the North Carolina Association of Educators said the group would be “participating in discussions with local district leaders and legislators.”
“Protecting student well-being is a top priority for NCAE during this state legislative session,” President Tamika Walker Kelly said in a statement. “Educators are well aware of the impact of social media on students’ mental health and the disruption cell phones can cause during the school day.”
(Photo illustration by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Regulations for social media and minors
A proposal to ban social media apps from using minors’ data for algorithmic recommendations and advertising is also expected to return this session.
The bill would also create a state task force for data privacy and allow the attorney general to investigate and potentially sue companies that violate it.
Sam Hiner, a UNC-Chapel Hill student who leads the Young People’s Alliance, crafted the legislation last session and expects it to be reintroduced.
“This is something that’s more culturally understood, the harms of social media and how exactly these platforms are using manipulative design features to cause kids to spend more time online,” Hiner said.
He said the group was having discussions with lawmakers to determine the exact details of the bill this session.
Rep. Jeffrey McNeely (R-Iredell), who sponsored the bill last session, did not respond to an interview request.
The welcome screen for the OpenAI “ChatGPT” app is displayed on a laptop screen in a photo illustration. In the absence of federal action, states are increasingly striking out on their own to regulate artificial intelligence and other automated systems. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images.)
Artificial intelligence
State governments across the U.S. are expected to continue grappling with A.I. this year — but Berger, the Senate leader, is urging major caution on a topic that he says has “legitimate concerns.”
“There’s a lot of conversation about what it can do, what it might do, and what it does,” he said earlier this month. “I think we need to tread very carefully if we’re going to legislate in that area.”
Models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT are already creating sea changes within the workforce. And while President Donald Trump has signaled plans to support AI infrastructure, Pew Charitable Trusts named A.I. as one of its top state fiscal debates to watch this year.
Burgin is among those who are pushing for legislation in North Carolina addressing the industry. He’s previously said he planned to introduce legislation requiring disclosure of A.I. use; it remains to be seen what the specifics could look like.