Louisiana Enacts Statewide School Phone Ban: Act 313 Prohibits Devices on Person Throughout the Instructional Day

In Louisiana, statewide legislation enacted under Act 313 (Senate Bill 207), signed into law by Governor Jeff Landry, has established a binding prohibition restricting personal cell phones and electronic telecommunication devices across all public elementary and secondary schools (K-12). Authored by Senator Beth Mizell and codified directly into Louisiana Revised Statutes (La. R.S. 17:239), the law establishes that no student may possess an electronic telecommunication device on their person throughout the instructional day.

Under the statutory framework, the restriction governs the entirety of the instructional day, from the initial morning bell to the final dismissal bell. The mandate strictly prohibits students from accessing smartphones, smartwatches, wireless earbuds, and personal devices during instructional class time, hallway passing periods, recess, and lunch. Keeping a phone in one's pocket is explicitly treated as a violation; any device brought to school grounds must be completely powered off and stowed away inside a locker or zipped backpack before the first instructional period commences. State educational authorities emphasized that the policy aims to eliminate persistent notifications, prevent cognitive task-switching, and curtail covert video recording and cyberbullying across campus.

The statute defines narrow, documented exemptions to protect student welfare without compromising classroom standards. Exceptions are granted solely for students requiring continuous medical monitoring supported by an Individualized Health Plan (IHP, such as continuous blood glucose monitors for diabetes management), approved accommodations under an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 plan, and verified emergency scenarios threatening immediate campus safety. Non-compliance triggers progressive district disciplinary measures, including device confiscation requiring mandatory in-person parental retrieval.

For individuals seeking to prevent smartphone notifications from disrupting study routines or deep work sessions, Limitra App Block allows users to establish scheduled restriction windows, automatically preventing access to chosen applications during designated focus hours.