In an effort to prioritize student mental health and academic focus, Indiana House Republicans have moved forward with two major legislative wins this session targeting social media safety and cell phone use in schools.

As social media platforms continue to present unique challenges for minors, House Enrolled Act 1408—co-authored by Representative Joanna King from Middlebury—was signed into law to provide parents with more “common-sense” authority.

The new law implements several key protections for Hoosiers under the age of 16, including:

Parental Consent: Requiring explicit permission for minors to create accounts.

Monitoring Tools: Giving parents the ability to better track social media activity.

Feature Restrictions: Limiting access to addictive or potentially harmful platform features.

“Kids deserve a safer online environment, and parents deserve more transparency and control when it comes to their children using social media,” said Rep. King.

On the academic front, lawmakers took a firm stance against digital distractions by passing Senate Enrolled Act 78. This legislation expands on a 2024 law by implementing a total ban on cell phone use from the “first bell to the last bell.”

Representative Matt Commons from Williamsport, who is also a social studies teacher, co-sponsored the bill. He emphasizes that the ban is about creating a sanctuary for learning.

“This new law keeps the focus where it belongs, on learning,” Rep. Commons stated. “By removing distractions, we’re giving students and teachers a better environment to succeed.”

The legislation received broad support from educators and administrators across the state who have noted the rising difficulty of keeping students on task in a smartphone-dominated era.

How to Learn More

Both HEA 1408 and SEA 78 have been signed into law by the Governor and represent a significant shift in how Indiana regulates technology in the lives of young people.

Residents interested in reading the full text of these bills or tracking other legislation from the recent session can visit the Indiana General Assembly website at [iga.in.gov](https://iga.in.gov).