State House Advances Bills Limiting Student Cellphone Use & Flock-Like Cameras

By Whitney Downard | Pennsylvania Capital-Star

Public and private schools across the commonwealth could soon be required to draft universal bell-to-bell cellphone bans for students. The state House passed a measure, with a handful of exceptions for learning and medical needs. 

The proposal, Senate Bill 1014, mirrors a House version that has sat in a Senate committee since June. 

The backing for a cellphone ban spans party differences and has the support of Gov. Josh Shapiro, but lawmakers haven’t finalized any proposal. 

Rep. Mandy Steele (D-Allegheny) pitched the effort as a way to free children from the “captive” nature of cellphones and big tech, a move she said harms children’s mental health. 

“This is a massive public health crisis, the likes of which we have never seen. An entire generation of Americans rendered captive. We are playing with fire,” continued Steele. “The absolute bare minimum we can do is to get these things out of our schools. Let children have their hearts and minds back for at least six hours a day while they are in school.” 

Rep. Scott Barger (R-Blair) shared a concern about unintended consequences by allowing an exception for students with learning disabilities, saying that the number of children claiming such a need could increase. 

“I would support a version of this bill that prohibits the use of cell phones, period. No exceptions,” said Barger. “If they are as dangerous as you say they are, get them out (of schools) for everybody, all the time.”

The bill moved on a 141-62 vote, getting no votes from 37 Republicans and 25 Democrats and now goes to the Senate.

Last week, parents with PA Unplugged urged legislators to move the bill, noting the limited amount of time left to pass any proposals. 

“Legislators only have a few days remaining to pass this statewide standard so that kids across Pennsylvania can be free from their phones at school and can better focus on learning, both academically and socially,” parents wrote in a release.

There are just four scheduled session days left — two this week and another two in November, after Election Day.

“Pennsylvania has the opportunity to become the 25th state in the country to pass a “bell-to-bell” phone-free school law – the tipping point where half the country will have no phones in schools from the first bell to the last bell of the day,” parents continued.

Guidelines for Automated License Plate Readers

Following weeks of public outcry, the House also moved a bill that would limit how law enforcement can use Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs), which track and gather information for law enforcement agencies. 

Under House Bill 2771, officers now need to obtain warrants to run searches, with all captured data owned by the local agency — rather than provider Flock Safety or another competitor. 

Earlier this year, the Washington Post reported that at least 50 law enforcement officers nationwide have been charged or accused of misusing similar systems to spy on their spouses or intimate partners, exes and their exes’ new partners.

The Post story included an account of a mother from Leechburg, Armstrong County, who said she repeatedly warned police and the district attorney’s office that her police officer husband had used a competitor to Flock to stalk and threaten her. The officer, Michael McSherry, ultimately pleaded guilty to official oppression and served about 11 months in jail, according to the article.

In another case, a Texas officer tracked a woman across state lines when she traveled out of state to obtain an abortion. 

Sponsoring Rep. Jen O’Mara (D-Delaware) described the bill as a rare instance when both supporters and opponents supported restrictions, noting the balance between privacy and crime-solving. 

“We understand that this technology is very useful and very impactful for members of law enforcement in the state,” said O’Mara. “But it was also one of the rare instances when, during a hearing, every presenter … started off with acknowledging that we do need guardrails in place for this technology.”

But Rep. Tim Bonner (R-Mercer) criticized the proposal for allowing camera access for felonies or parking violations, but not for misdemeanors or juvenile offenses. He said misdemeanors could still be serious crimes — such as indecent assault, stalking or drunk driving. 

“I do believe we need to regulate more aggressively,” Bonner added, partially crediting the cameras with falling crime rates. “Yet, we’re going to totally prohibit the use of these cameras to solve very significant cases.” 

Bonner and a dozen other representatives, including one Democrat, voted against the bill, which advanced to the Senate on a 190-13 vote. 

Other lawmakers, from both parties, urged a ‘yes’ vote, saying that specifics could be worked out in the Senate, which is scheduled to meet for two days in mid-November. If a bill isn’t passed this year, O’Mara — who, like all House members, is up for reelection — said she was working to advance another version next year.

Pennsylvania Capital-Star is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Pennsylvania Capital-Star maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Tim Lambert for questions: info@penncapital-star.com.