The proposed Phone-Free Schools Act is among Ferguson’s priorities for the upcoming legislative session.
Ferguson signed a 2026 law intended to help lay the groundwork for regulating cellphones in schools.
He plans to prefile the governor-requested bill Dec. 7, the first day of prefiling.
Under the proposal, students who bring phones or smart devices to school would have to store them at a front desk, in a classroom caddy or in lockable pouches.
The plan would include limited exceptions for students with individualized education programs, 504 plans, or medical needs.
Exceptions also could apply in limited circumstances, such as when a student helps care for an aging parent.
Students would not be suspended for violating the policy during at least its first year, a provision intended to address disparities in student discipline that other states experienced while initially implementing phone-free policies.
Ferguson announced the proposal alongside administrators, teachers and students from Spokane Public Schools.
The governor cited research showing that 95% of U.S. teenagers have smartphones and that 97% use them during school.
Teenagers spend roughly one-quarter of their school day on cellphones, on average, according to the release, which amounts to more than 41 instructional days during a school year, the governor’s office said.
A third of public K-12 teachers nationwide say cellphone distractions are a major classroom problem, according to Pew Research Center.