October 21, 2026
Three fast-moving areas of law are changing how kids use phones, apps and games this school year: a Pennsylvania bill that would make every public school phone-free from bell to bell, a Texas law that requires parent approval for kids' app downloads, and state actions pressing Roblox on child safety. Here is what each one actually says, where it applies and where it stands as of Oct. 21, 2026. This is a summary of public documents, not legal advice; rules vary by state and school district.
Pennsylvania: Bell-to-Bell School Phone Ban (SB 1014) Passes the House 141-62
Status: Senate Bill 1014 passed the Pennsylvania Senate 46-1 on Feb. 3, 2026. The House amended it and passed it 141-62 on Oct. 19, 2026, and it was sent back to the Senate the same day and referred to the Rules & Executive Nominations Committee. The Senate must agree to the House changes before the bill can go to the governor. It is not law yet.
What the bill text (Printer's No. 1697) would require: by the start of the 2027-2028 school year, the governing body of each school entity, including school districts, intermediate units, career and technical schools and charter and cyber charter schools, must adopt a policy that prohibits students' use of mobile devices during the school day while on school property and sets how possession of those devices is restricted. The bill defines a mobile device as "a personal mobile telephone or other portable electronic device capable of connecting to the Internet," not counting school-issued devices or medical devices. Schools must tell parents at the start of each year how to reach their child during the school day through a contact method that is staffed during the day, and must post the policy online.
Required exceptions: a medical condition documented by a medical provider; an IEP or 504 service agreement that includes a mobile device; English learners using a device for translation; and other limited uses the bill spells out.
Why it matters for families: the definition covers any personal device that can reach the internet, so families buying a phone or connected smartwatch for a Pennsylvania student this holiday season may want to check their district's current policy and watch for the Senate's vote.
Source: Pennsylvania General Assembly: SB 1014 history and votes ; SB 1014, Printer's No. 1697 (bill text)
Texas: App Store Accountability Act (SB 2420) Stays Enforceable While the Appeal Continues
What the law says: Texas SB 2420, which took effect Jan. 1, 2026, requires an app store to verify the age category of anyone in Texas who creates an account, using a "commercially reasonable" method. The categories are child (under 13), younger teenager (13 to 15), older teenager (16 and 17) and adult. Accounts for minors must be affiliated with a parent account, and the app store must get parental consent for each app download, app purchase and in-app purchase. A violation is a deceptive trade practice under Texas law.
Court status: a federal district court had blocked the law. On June 4, 2026, a Fifth Circuit panel stayed those injunctions while the appeal proceeds (Students Engaged in Advancing Texas v. Paxton and CCIA v. Paxton). On July 6, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court denied applications to vacate that stay (Nos. 25A1389 and 25A1390). That leaves the law enforceable for now, but a stay is not a final ruling on whether the law is constitutional, and no decision on the merits had been issued as of Oct. 21.
Why it matters for families: the law covers app stores that distribute apps to mobile devices, which it defines to include tablets and smartphones. In Texas, a minor's app downloads and in-app purchases on a new holiday phone or tablet, including game currency, now need consent through a linked parent account.
Source: Texas Legislature: SB 2420 enrolled text ; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, stay order ; U.S. Supreme Court docket 25A1389
Roblox: Kansas Settles for $9.8 Million Plus Safety Changes; Arizona Asks a Court to Compel Answers
Kansas (Sept. 29): Attorney General Kris Kobach announced a settlement under which Roblox pays $9.8 million to his office over three years, funds a $500,000, three-year child-safety awareness campaign for Kansans, and owes another $10 million if it breaks the terms. Roblox agreed to age assurance for new and existing users, expanded parental controls, chat for users under 18 limited by default to similar age groups, steps to keep conversations from moving to other platforms such as Discord, and no Robux sent or received by users under 16 without parental approval.
Arizona (Oct. 16): Attorney General Kris Mayes filed a Petition for Enforcement of Civil Investigative Demands in an investigation of Roblox under the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act. The state says it sent demands in May and August 2026 and that Roblox "has failed to provide complete responses to even the State's most limited priority requests." Arizona is asking a court to order Roblox to produce the data and documents and to hold the company in contempt until it complies. These are the state's allegations in a court filing, not findings by a court.
Why it matters for families: the Kansas terms (age checks, age-grouped chat and parent approval for Robux transfers) show the settings states are pushing Roblox to adopt. Parents can review Roblox's own parental controls for their child's account.
Source: Kansas Attorney General news releases ; Arizona Attorney General
Advocates Ask TikTok, YouTube and Snapchat to Match Meta's Teen Safeguards
In a letter reported Oct. 13, a coalition of parents, child advocates, faith-based groups and family policy organizations asked TikTok, YouTube and Snapchat to adopt the safeguards Meta agreed to in its settlement with a coalition of 52 state attorneys general. Enough Is Enough, one of the signers, says more than 90 advocates joined. The letter lists those Meta measures as strict daily time limits, restricted access at night and during school hours, stronger parental controls over algorithmic feeds and autoplay, hidden likes by default and age verification on Facebook and Instagram. The letter is a request; it does not bind the three companies.
Source: Coalition letter (PDF) ; Enough Is Enough ; Fox Business
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