MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin joined the growing list of states curbing the use of cellphones and electronic gadgets in schools as Governor Tony Evers, a Democrat, enacted legislation on Friday. This new law mandates school districts to restrict phone usage during class hours, making Wisconsin the 36th state to do so.

The legislation garnered bipartisan backing, although some Democratic lawmakers argued that addressing gun violence should take precedence over cellphone restrictions. Despite this, Gov. Evers emphasized the importance of focusing on what benefits children, stating, “My promise to the people of Wisconsin is to always do what’s best for our kids, and that obligation weighs heavily on me in considering this bill.”

Gov. Evers expressed significant concern regarding the effects of cellphone and social media usage on youth, noting that phones could serve as “a major distraction from learning, a source of bullying, and a barrier to our kids’ important work of just being a kid.”

During this academic year alone, 17 states and the District of Columbia have enacted new limitations on cellphone use in educational settings. The momentum for these restrictions has gained considerable speed, with Florida pioneering such legislation in 2023.

This school year alone, new restrictions on phone use in schools went into effect in 17 states and the District of Columbia. The push to limit cellphone use has been rapid. Florida was the first state to pass such a law, in 2023.

Both Democrats and Republicans have taken up the cause, reflecting a growing consensus that phones are bad for kids’ mental health and take their focus away from learning, even as some researchers say the issue is less clear-cut.

Most school districts in Wisconsin had already restricted cellphone use in the classroom, according to a Wisconsin Policy Forum report. The bill passed by the Legislature on Oct. 14 would require school districts to enact policies prohibiting the use of cellphones during instructional time.

Of the 36 states that restrict cellphones in school, phones are banned throughout the school day in 18 states and the District of Columbia, although Georgia and Florida impose “bell-to-bell” bans only from kindergarten through eighth grade. Another seven states ban them during class time, but not between classes or during lunch. Still others, particularly those with traditions of local school control, mandate only a cellphone policy, believing districts will take the hint and sharply restrict phone access.

Under the Wisconsin bill, all public schools are required to adopt a policy prohibiting the use of cellphones during instructional time by July 1. There would be exceptions including for use during an emergency or perceived threat; to manage a student’s health care; if use of the phone is allowed under the student’s individualized education program; or if written by a teacher for educational purposes.