Wyoming School Cell Phone Law (SF 35): What It Requires

Yes. Wyoming has a statewide law on student phones in school. Wyoming's SF 35, signed March 6, 2026, required every district to adopt policies governing student possession and use of cell phones and smart devices. Policies were due July 1, 2026 and go to the state superintendent; the law sets no required scope.

What SF 35 requires

• • Each district board of trustees must adopt policies governing student possession and use of cellular telephones and smart devices in schools.
• • Policies had to be established by July 1, 2026.
• • Each district must submit a copy of its policy to the state superintendent as soon as practicable after adoption and again after any substantial revision.
• • Wearables that can only tell time, monitor health information or track location are excluded from "smart device".

The emergency wording for every state, D.C. and Puerto Rico is in school phone ban emergency exceptions by state.

The key provision, verbatim

“Adopt policies governing student possession and use of cellular telephones and smart devices in schools.”

Source: W.S. 21-3-110(a)(xlv) (SF 35, Enrolled Act 46)

Timeline

1. January 21, 2025SF 21 ("Ban on cell phone use in schools"), which would have required instructional-time bans, fails in the Senate Committee of the Whole, 7–21
2. March 6, 2026Gov. Mark Gordon signs SF 35 (Enrolled Act 46); effective immediately
3. May 18, 2026Wyoming Department of Education memo opens the Cell Phone Policy Submission Portal
4. July 1, 2026Deadline for boards to establish their policies

Where phones must be kept

SF 35 sets no scope or storage rule; each district decides whether and when phones are restricted and where they are kept.

Some schools back a written policy with phone-management software such as LockedIn: students' own phones lock automatically on campus during school hours and unlock after school, with no pouches or hardware; the admin dashboard flags workarounds by student name, such as a possible uninstall or a new device awaiting approval; and in an emergency, one tap from an administrator starts Emergency Mode on every phone on campus. Software does not replace the policy SF 35 requires, and it should be set up around the exceptions the law lists; have counsel review any tool that handles student device data.

Checklist for Wyoming administrators

1. Confirm the board adopted its policy (due July 1, 2026) and submitted it through the WDE Cell Phone Policy Submission Portal.
2. Resubmit the policy to the state superintendent after any substantial revision.
3. State clearly which devices are covered, noting the statutory exclusion for wearables that only tell time, track health or share location.
4. Decide and document scope (class time or full day) and exceptions, since the statute leaves both to the district.