Bills banning students from using their cellphones in school have been introduced in both chambers of the General Assembly.

A bipartisan group of state senators announced Friday they are introducing legislation requiring students to store cellphones and other personal electronic devices during the school day.

Senate Bill 1014 would require schools to ban students from using cellphones during the school day, with a handful of exceptions, including students with medical conditions, those with education plans that require a personal electronic device and English-language learners who use translation apps on electronic devices.

Similar legislation was introduced in the state House in August. House Bill 1814 was referred to the House Education Committee, which has not voted on the measure yet.

“While some schools have policies to limit phone use, these rules vary widely across districts and can be inconsistently enforced. A clear, statewide standard is needed to ensure that learning environments remain focused and free from unnecessary interruptions,” Rep. Mandy Steele, D-Allegheny, said in a memo seeking support for HB 1814.

Like the Senate bill, HB 1814 was introduced with support from Republican and Democratic lawmakers.

The Senate approved legislation last year to fund grants for schools to provide students with lockable bags for their cellphones during the school day. The measure didn’t advance in the House, but lawmakers added lockable cellphone bags to the list of items schools can buy with school safety grants. Eighteen school districts opted to purchase the bags with that funding.

If SB 1014 and HB 1814 become law, Pennsylvania would be the 28th state to enact restrictions on cellphone use in school and the 19th to enact an all-day ban.

Lawmakers pointed to studies showing that constant cellphone use is harmful to students’ academic performance and mental well-being.

“Right now, cellphones and social media are causing a detrimental impact to learning, socialization and mental health in schools. Data shows that 72% of U.S. high school teachers say cellphone distraction is a major problem in the classroom,” said Sen. Vincent Hughes, D-Philadelphia. “Bell-to-bell legislation is a commonsense approach to getting kids off of their screens and social media during school hours and back to what’s happening in the classroom.”

Schools have also seen academic performance decline. Math and reading scores began dropping for the first time in 25 years in 2012 — the same period that marked the rapid rise of smartphone and social media use among teens.

Seventy-five percent of teachers say they support all-day school bans.

A review of hundreds of studies conducted by researchers at the University of Augsburg in Germany found stronger evidence that cellphone bans improve school climate, reduce bullying and support students’ mental health than that such bans translate to substantial academic gains.

“A ban on smartphones can lead to a calmer and more focused learning environment. Teachers report that students are less distracted and can concentrate better during lessons,” the researchers wrote.

They noted, though, that not all the evidence is reassuring. Surveys show that nearly 30% of students say they have continued to use their cellphones in school despite bans.