WILKES-BARRE — Legislation this week sponsored by Sen. Ryan Aument, R-Lancaster, to improve students’ mental health and learning by limiting their use of cellphones in schools, passed the Senate Education Committee by a vote of 10-1, positioning it for possible consideration in the final 2024-25 state budget.
Senate Bill 1207 would incorporate the use of secure, lockable phone bags in which students would deposit their mobile devices until the end of the day at schools.
“Students’ cellphone use in schools is a major issue, not just when it comes to classroom distractions, reduced student attention spans, and declining academic performance — it also negatively impacts their mental health and social skills,” said Aument. “The data is clear and has confirmed what parents, teachers and administrators are experiencing in the classroom.”
Aument said that the Derry Township School District school board said that the use of smartphones “may create a social, intellectual and emotional barrier to being fully present during school and can cause disruption to the education process.”
Sherri Smith, executive director of the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators said cellphones in school are the impetus of a lot of problems that our schools and our teachers are managing in the classrooms.
“Constant connectivity’ by students inhibits the building of collaborative relationships, not to mention the distraction of their attention from school,” Smith said.
Additionally, more than 200 Pennsylvanians to date have responded to a petition Aument circulated to seek support for his effort to limit student cellphone use during school hours.
According to 2023 data provided by the Pew Research Center, teenagers spend an average of three and a half hours a day on social media. Teens report feeling overwhelmed by the drama on social media and feeling worse about their own lives as a result of using it.
Studies show that teens are also less capable of handling the negative impacts of social media use as they report getting less sleep — also a result of increased cellphone use. And the studies also show that access to and use of mobile devices before bed significantly hurt sleep quality and quantity.
“Young adults spend more time on social media and using their smartphones, and it’s taking a toll on them mentally, emotionally, and academically,” Aument said. “Cellphone restrictions have proved successful in reversing these trends, so I appreciate the support my bill received and look forward to its continued advancement.”
The bill now moves to the full Senate for consideration, and Aument is hopeful for quick passage so that the funding provided by the pilot program can be offered to schools for the beginning of the 2024-25 school year.
Meuser supports Homeland Security appropriations bill
U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Dallas, supported H.R. 8752 — the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2025 — which allocates $64.81 billion to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The legislation prioritizes enhancing national security, securing our Southern border, removing dangerous criminals, and supporting American values and principles.
This bill strengthens border security by investing $600 million for construction of a barrier at the southern border. It also bolsters the number of Border Patrol agents and makes critical investments in border security technology.
Meuser said amid heightened illegal immigration, this legislation reinforces detention capabilities through increased investments in custody and removal operations. He said it also bolsters the Coast Guard by allocating funds to enhance its operations countering migrant and narcotics activities in the Caribbean Basin and Eastern Pacific.
Meuser said the bill focuses DHS on its core responsibilities, rejecting equity action plans and critical race theory, while saving costs on electric vehicles and HQ consolidation. He said it excludes funds for illegal migrant services and eliminates duplicative offices. Lastly, it supports American values by safeguarding free speech.
“This legislation is a crucial investment in our national security, strengthening our ability to safeguard our borders and communities from both foreign and domestic threats,” Meuser said. “By enhancing the capabilities of Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Coast Guard, this bill fortifies our defenses and improves our readiness to address emerging challenges. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to support this legislation, as it underscores our commitment to protecting citizens, upholding our values and preserving the freedoms that define our nation.”
The FY25 Homeland Security Appropriations Act passed the House by a vote of 212-203 and was referred to the Senate for further consideration.
Lt. Gov. Davis calls for investments in gun violence prevention strategies
Lt. Gov. Austin Davis this week joined state and local leaders, law enforcement officials, victim advocates and community-based organizations at a roundtable conversation in Harrisburg to highlight strategies that are working — as Pennsylvania experienced the nation’s second-biggest decline in gun homicides last year — and call for additional investments to reduce violence and make communities safer
“Pennsylvanians deserve to be safe and feel safe, no matter what they look like or where they live, but that feeling of safety has been shattered for many people in Harrisburg and surrounding communities,” said Lt. Gov. Davis. “The Shapiro-Davis Administration is taking a holistic approach to addressing the epidemic of gun violence, and the strategies we’re funding – supporting law enforcement, as well as community-based organizations that help to prevent violence – are starting to see results. There is still a lot of work to be done, but we should celebrate progress.”
In February, Gov. Josh Shapiro proposed a state budget that invests $100 million to address and prevent gun violence in Pennsylvania communities. The Shapiro-Davis budget includes an $11.5 million investment in creating a statewide Building Opportunity through Out of School Time program, a $1 million investment to stand up and staff an Office of Gun Violence Prevention within the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) and $1 million in funding for a Firearm Injury Prevention Program within the Department of Health.
The budget also includes a $37.5 million increase to PCCD’s Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) program. The VIP program supports a wide range of models focused on reducing violence and relies on local groups that are in tune with their communities.
While gun violence rates are still unacceptably high, several municipalities in Pennsylvania that are using evidence-backed, community-based strategies are seeing improvements.
A report by the Center for American Progress found that Philadelphia has seen the most significant decline in gun violence per capita, among the nation’s biggest cities, so far this year.
AG Henry’s ‘teenTALK’ report, highlights impacts of gun violence on teenagers
Attorney General Michelle Henry has issued a ‘teenTALK’ report on the impacts of gun violence on teenagers, following her recent roundtable discussions with students at several districts across the Commonwealth.
AG Henry visited four school districts during the 2023-24 school year — Philadelphia, McKeesport, Hazleton, and Steelton-Highspire — for candid conversations with students about how gun violence impacts their mental health and what changes could make them feel safer.
The ‘teenTALK’ report is being offered to Pennsylvania schools and communities as a tool to help advance initiatives and strategies that promote student learning, safety and community involvement.
“This report captures the lessons we learned from honest discussions with future leaders who want to see change and want to have a role in making those changes realities in their neighborhoods,” AG Henry said. “Until every student can grow up free from the scourge of gun violence, we must continue to identify and root out damaging behaviors while offering support resources to help students thrive.”
During the roundtable sessions, students shared how they experience and perceive gun violence and other acts of violence in their communities. Some students talked about their lived experiences of losing family members and other loved ones, and many expressed frustration with having to adapt to gun violence as a too-common occurrence in their lives.
Students identified these priority areas of improvement:
• Better communication and trust between school officials and students, so the unknown doesn’t make coping harder.
• Additional options for mental health services are needed to provide adequate support for students.
• Funding and resources for programming like social emotional learning and conflict resolution/peer mediation should be prioritized.
This ‘teenTALK’ report is being issued following the end of the school year so that administrators and teachers have time to review and make any adjustments to strategies they see fit.
Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
