WASHINGTON, D.C. – April 9, 2026 – Leading child safety and well-being organizations, The Anxious Generation Movement, Smartphone Free Childhood US, Institute for Families and Technology, and Becca Schmill Foundation, today announced that Utah’s new law received a “B” grade on the national Phone-Free Schools State Report Card.
S.B. 69, sponsored by State Senator Lincoln Fillmore (R-UT) and signed into law by Governor Spencer Cox (R-UT), prohibits the use of cellphones, smart watches, and emerging technologies during the entire school day, or from “bell-to-bell.” Utah previously received a “D” on the initial Phone-Free Schools State Report Card published in January 2026 for passing a law directing school districts to adopt their own policies without establishing a baseline standard state-wide.
“We’re thrilled to announce Utah now has the strongest phone-free schools policy in the Mountain West,” said Emily Rapp, director of public policy for the Institute of Families and Technology. “With this new law, Utah has set up every student in the state to have a healthier, more focused learning environment.”
“We applaud Utah lawmakers for freeing students from their phones from the first school bell to the last, providing them and their teachers with immense benefits,” said Deb Schmill, founder of the Becca Schmill Foundation. "By strengthening its phone-free schools law, Utah is leading by example and forging the path for other “D” states to follow.”
Under the Report Card’s criteria, an “A” grade is awarded when legislation requires all personal electronic devices to be stored in secure, inaccessible locations from “bell-to-bell.” Bell-to-bell policies are proven to enhance academic performance, improve students’ mental and physical health, increase teacher satisfaction, protect student safety and privacy, and deepen school community relationships.
More information about Utah’s grade can be found here.
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About the Phone-Free Schools Report Card
Launched in 2026, the Phone-Free Schools State Report Card is published by leading child safety and well-being organizations, including The Anxious Generation Movement, Smartphone Free Childhood US, Institute for Families and Technology, and Becca Schmill Foundation. The report evaluates whether the laws in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., meet the gold standard for phone-free schools: policies requiring all students to store their personal electronic devices in secure, inaccessible locations for the entire school day (bell-to-bell).