Asia Tech Wire (Sep 24) -- California Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday signed into law a bill that will require the state's public elementary and secondary schools to restrict or ban the use of smartphones on campus.

The reason for introducing the law is the concern that excessive use of cell phones may jeopardize students' mental health and interfere with their studies. There are nearly 5.9 million students enrolled in California's public elementary and secondary schools.

The bill, which passed overwhelmingly in both chambers of the California State Assembly, would require boards of education or other agencies that govern public schools in each part of the state to have guidelines in place by July 1, 2026, and to evaluate and revise their policies every five years.