A series of policy hangups in the Senate over a proposed statewide “bell-to-bell” ban on students’ cellphone use in school is threatening to derail a key element of Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s agenda.
But Ayotte is refusing to sit quietly by the phone.
On Monday, the first-year GOP governor dialed up the pressure on legislators by releasing a statement doubling down on her preference for a full day, bell-to-bell ban on classroom cellphone use.
The Committee of Conference is scheduled to take up the legislation Tuesday. While both the House and Senate easily passed classroom cellphone ban legislation, the Senate version doesn’t include the bell-to-bell mandate.
“We have the opportunity to make our schools an even better place to learn, and I urge the legislature to meet the moment and pass a bell-to-bell ban on cellphones in schools,” Ayotte said in her statement. Screens are negatively impacting our learning environments and making it harder for teachers to do their jobs. When students park their phones for the day, they focus on learning and build stronger relationships with their peers, and teachers don’t have to worry about policing cellphone use.”
Ayotte’s position is popular with teachers, according to a 2024 survey by the National Education Association. It found 90 percent of its members supported a ban on cellphones during instructional time, and 83 percent support a bell-to-bell ban.
And she also has the science on her side, Ayotte says. Her statement includes online links to studies she said show how “excessive screen time is associated with increased rates of anxiety, depression and sleep deprivation among children and teenagers.”
One of the experts Ayotte referenced in her inaugural press conference and again in Monday’s statement was social psychologist Dr. Jonathan Haidt. Ayotte’s office released a statement from Haidt on Monday.
“I am thrilled to see New Hampshire taking among the strongest efforts in the nation to protect our children’s futures in considering NH SB 206. New Hampshire’s policy mandating bell-to-bell device separation will help bring conversation and laughter back to the hallways of schools across the state,” Haidt said.
“Social media is designed to steal the attention of kids and teens who are at pivotal stages of their mental development. The one place where we can truly safeguard their developing minds is schools. New Hampshire has an opportunity to give their kids a real-life childhood.”
The bill passed the House in a landslide 314-42 vote. But in the state Senate, Sen. Ruth Ward (R-Stoddard) moved to non-concur with the amended bell-to-bell version of the bill and requested a conference committee.
Ward told NHJournal she’s heard arguments that “bell-to-bell may be too restrictive” and that “this is what the governor wants.” The other argument she’s heard is that “the legislature has to set the rules” and that “the teachers don’t want to be the bad guys.”
“Personally, I think it is a shame that there has to be a law, and breaking it has consequences,” Ward added. “Cellphones have become almost a crutch.”
Fellow Republican Sen. Victoria Sullivan of Manchester also opposes the bell-to-bell approach. She told NHJournal that while she thinks the bill is “well-intentioned,” she’s received “a lot of pushback from parents regarding the bell-to-bell policy.”
“There are safety concerns,” she said. “There are also concerns about parents being removed from the conversation.”
“Schools currently have the ability to make a bell-to-bell policy if they want to. That’s why I believe the Senate version of the bill was the best policy. It struck the right balance. The details of the policy should be with the local school boards,” Sullivan said.
Meanwhile, Ayotte is “rallying the troops,” one GOP insider told NHJournal. Her statement includes statements of support for her policy from Rep. Melissa Litchfield (R-Brentwood) and Sen. Denise Ricciardi (R-Bedford).
“A bell-to-bell ban on cellphones in schools will help students focus and let teachers do their jobs without being the phone police,” said Ricciardi. “I’m proud to be partnering with Gov. Ayotte on this initiative to improve learning and support our teachers. Let’s get this across the finish line so we can continue to deliver a best-in-class education for our children.”
Litchfield said that “as a mom,” she “fully supports” a bell-to-bell ban.
“When kids focus on learning and socializing with their peers in-person, grades go up, mental health improves, and they develop the skills they need to thrive in the long run,” she added. “I thank Gov. Ayotte for leading on this issue and hope my colleagues in the Committee of Conference will see it through.”
Both Litchfield and Ricciardi have been named to serve as members of the Committee of Conference assigned to negotiate differences between the Senate and the House on this legislation.
Democrats, including Rep. Loren Selig (D-Durham), voiced concerns during the committee’s hearing earlier this spring that a statewide bell-to-bell ban would undermine school districts’ ability to tailor cellphone use policies to meet their own needs.
Selig said the new version of the bill was “overly prescriptive and violates local control.”
Weighing in for the majority in the House’s calendar entry for the bill, Litchfield wrote that the amended version would include “approved exceptions with respect to student medical, disability, or language proficiency needs.”
“So far, 26 states have passed laws, with eight other states and the District of Columbia implementing rules or making recommendations to local districts,” Litchfield added. “Ten states and the District of Columbia have enacted school day bans, most for students in grades K-12.”
