December 12, 2025
Pennsylvania could soon follow more than half the states in the country in restricting cellphone use in schools if a bipartisan bill continues moving through the General Assembly.
Senate Bill 1014 would require school districts to prohibit students from using cellphones during the instructional day. Exceptions would include specific instructional use and students who need them to assist with disabilities or other conditions of an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).
December 11, 2025
School districts — whether public or private — across the commonwealth may be required to draft a policy prohibiting student cellphones with limited exceptions following a unanimous vote in the state Senate Education Committee Tuesday.
State Sens. Devlin Robinson (R-Allegheny) and Steven Santarsiero (D-Bucks) introduced the bill to address the “growing issue” of cellphones in schools, where the devices can cause distractions and disrupt learning.
December 11, 2025
A Central Bucks West High School teacher said at a meeting Tuesday evening that the learning environment at CB West has improved dramatically now that students can no longer use their cellphones in class.
“This year has been absolutely wonderful” compared to last year, said psychology teacher Christie Besack.
The difference is a ban on smartphones during instructional time.
December 8, 2025
LOWER BUCKS COUNTY – A bill on how to eliminate cell phone use in schools will be discussed during a webinar on Tuesday night.
State Sen. Steve Santarsiero (D-10) was among state legislators who introduced a bill in October for a “bell-to-bell policy” prohibiting students from using cell phones and other non-academic smart devices during the school day, with certain exceptions.
December 7, 2025
When the effort to restrict student cellphone use in schools first began two years ago, it was met with skepticism. Some thought it was unrealistic. Others worried it would create new enforcement headaches for teachers or intrude on parents’ ability to reach their children during the school day.
But since then, the conversation has shifted dramatically and decisively. What was once a fringe idea is now a mainstream movement.
November 13, 2025
Some 10 days after it warned it might run out of money and shut down in January, Morrisville School District this week felt a “huge sense of relief” learning the new Pennsylvania budget guarantees funding to keep it open.
Passage of the $50.1 billion budget, ending a 135-day impasse, sets aside $1.5 million in funding for Morrisville.
“It is a huge sense of relief to hear the state budget has passed and knowing there are additional dollars allocated for our district,” said Andrew Doster, superintendent.
November 5, 2025
MORRISVILLE, Pa. (WPVI) — The Morrisville School District is facing a financial crisis that could force the closure of its public schools by the end of January if Pennsylvania lawmakers fail to pass a long-overdue state budget.
At a joint meeting Tuesday night between the Morrisville School Board and Borough Council, officials discussed the district’s dire financial outlook. The meeting had been scheduled prior to the district’s recent announcement that it may have to shut down schools due to a lack of funding.
October 28, 2025
LOWER BUCKS COUNTY, PA — As the PA State Budget impasse continues, Lower Bucks County Democratic lawmakers have sent a message to their GOP colleagues to make a deal.
State Sen. Steve Santarsiero held a press conference late last week with fellow Democrats, calling for an end to the impasse, which is nearing 120 days since the June 30 state budget deadline.
October 26, 2025
State Senator Steve Santarsiero believes managing cell phone use is needed to help mitigate the impacts on Pennsylvania students.
He hosted a panel Thursday night at Bucks County Community College to engage the community in a discussion about the benefits of cell phone-free schools.
Alongside Santarsiero, Bucks County Commissioner Diane Ellis Marseglia; Kirstin McGowan, Parent and Advocate with Wait Until 8th; Christie Besack, Central Bucks West High School Psychology teacher, and Kassandra Castillo, Bucks County Community College student, covered the impacts of cell phone use on students, the benefits of cell phone bans, and different policies regarding cell phone use.
October 23, 2025
(TNS) — The state Senate is poised to move forward on legislation to restrict cellphones in K-12 schools, although the specifics of the policy — whether an outright ban, or something less stringent — are still being worked out.
At a hearing held by the Senate Education Committee Tuesday, the majority of those who testified supported some type of statewide rule restricting student phone use, although details on the restrictions are expected to be left up to school districts.
October 10, 2025
Harrisburg, Pa. — Citing the steep decline in youth mental health and academic performance during the past decade, Sens. Devlin Robinson (R-37), Vince Hughes (D-7), and Steve Santarsiero (D-10) announced yesterday the introduction of bipartisan legislation requiring Pennsylvania schools to adopt policies prohibiting student cellphone use during the school day.
Each individual school district will be responsible for crafting a policy that works best for their community.
October 2, 2025
BUCKINGHAM TOWNSHIP, PA – State Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) and State Rep. Tim Brennan (D-29) are teaming up to host an Electronics Recycling event on Saturday, Oct. 4 in Central Bucks County.
The event will take place from 10 a.m. to noon at Central Bucks East High School, 2804 Holicong Road, Doylestown. Residents are encouraged to bring small appliances, printers, computers, laptops, VCRs, mics, wires and random metal items for recycling.
September 24, 2025
State Sen. Steve Santarsiero, a Democrat, will host the event Thursday, Sept. 25, at 7:30 p.m. in the Zlock Auditorium at the Bucks County Community College’s Newtown Township campus.
The event will feature a panel to share information and resources regarding the impact of smartphones and other mobile devices on students in school and the potential benefits of banning their use during school hours.
September 18, 2025
ABC/Disney’s craven decision to cancel Jimmy Kimmel should worry all Americans.
The fact that yet another corporation has caved under pressure from the Trump Administration is concerning enough. That the pressure was in direct response to Mr. Kimmel voicing his opinion about the motives of the man who killed Charlie Kirk is what is truly dangerous about this situation. Brendan Carr, the MAGA chair of the FCC — the agency with regulatory authority over the network — threatened ABC, unless it acted against the comedian.
August 25, 2025
State Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) hosted state Department of Transportation officials on a road tour around the 10th Senate District, announcing planned roadway repair projects, highlighting needed improvements, and applauding work that has recently been completed.
The road tour covered an expansive portion of the district, with six stops and dozens of roads featured along the route. In conjunction with the road tour, Senator Santarsiero has shared an inventory of roads in the 10th Senate District with specific requests for repair. The list is compiled on a rolling basis, and regularly shared with PennDOT, and includes submissions from constituents and municipalities.
August 15, 2025
Local Democratic lawmakers called the Republican State Senate transit bill, which failed to pass a Thursday night vote, a “Band-Aid” for SEPTA funding that didn’t offer a sustainable long-term solution during a press conference hosted by State Sen. Steve Santarsiero at the Yardley Train Station on Thursday.
Alongside Santarsiero, State Reps. Perry Warren, Tina Davis, Brian Munroe, Jim Prokopiak and Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie spoke about the impact SEPTA’s service cuts will have on their constituents.
August 12, 2025
BUCKS COUNTY, PA — Gov. Josh Shapiro appeared in Falls Township late last week to help launch the new high-tech Amazon data center.
State Sen. Steve Santarsiero joined Shapiro Thursday at the site of the new data center at the North Point Keystone Trade Center on the former US Steel property.
August 6, 2025
LOWER BUCKS COUNTY — State Sen. Steve Santarsiero is taking it to the streets.
The senator will host PennDOT representatives as he takes his annual road tour on Thursday around the 10th Senate District, which includes parts of Lower Bucks County.
August 6, 2025
BUCKS COUNTY, PA — State Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) will be hitting the road with officials with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) during a summer road tour on Thursday through the 10th Senatorial District, which stretches from Buckingham south to Tullytown.
The road tour will include several stops to discuss high-priority repairs and improvements, beginning in the morning in Lower Bucks County and concluding with stops in Central Bucks County in the afternoon.
July 29, 2025
BUCKINGHAM TOWNSHIP, PA — Buckingham Township has been awarded a $2 million grant from the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (Pennvest) to build a new PFAS remediation system at the Hearthstone water treatment facility.
The project will include the construction of a new building to house the system, whose management will be tied into the main control system that provides combined treatment for the affected water wells. Pennvest also approved a low-interest $615,089 loan to the township for the project.
July 23, 2025
NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP, PA — Two new pedestrian safety signals are officially in operation at Sycamore Street and Silo Drive and at the mid-block crossing at Tara Boulevard and Newtown-Yardley Road.
State Senator Steve Santarsiero and State Rep. Perry Warren were joined by Newtown Township Supervisors Dennis Fisher and John Mack on Monday to inaugurate the safety improvements, which include pedestrian activation controls, rapid flashing beacon lights to warn motorists that people are in the crosswalk, and improved signage.
July 17, 2025
BUCKS COUNTY, PA — State Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) and State Rep. Perry Warren (D-31) are partnering with PA CareerLink in Bucks County to host a mobile assistance event for job seekers on Wednesday, July 30 at the Bucks County Community College Newtown Campus.
PA CareerLink is part of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry’s initiative to transform the landscape of how job seekers find family sustaining jobs and how employers find the skilled candidates that they need. The Workforce on Wheels Bus is unique to the Bucks County CareerLink office, serving as a mobile PA CareerLink bringing job search resources to job seekers across the county.
July 16, 2025
A project to expand Bucks County’s only domestic violence shelter got a $6.11 million boost in state funding.
The funding comes from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) HOME Investment Partnerships American Rescue Plan Non-Congregate Shelter Program, said a press release from State Sen. Steve Santarsiero’s office Tuesday.
The funds would go to Bucks County and A Woman’s Place.
July 16, 2025
State officials told Upper Makefield residents Tuesday that new testing near a pipeline leak showing “elevated” levels of certain toxic chemicals is surprising and needs to be investigated.
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection officials made these comments during a town hall meeting about the Sunoco pipeline leak discovered in January under a neighborhood near Washington Crossing. Sunoco and its parent company Energy Transfer’s efforts so far to determine how big the fuel leak is and where the fuel is currently sitting are not good enough, DEP officials said, and if the pipeline company doesn’t sufficiently define the leak, the state will consider additional enforcement action.
July 15, 2025
WILKES-BARRE — A bipartisan group of state lawmakers from the Flood Insurance Premium Assistance Task Force on Tuesday announced the advancement of legislation that would give Pennsylvania home buyers information regarding flood risks when purchasing residential property.
The four legislators are Sen. Lisa Baker, R-Lehman Township; Sen. Steve Santarsiero, D-Bucks; Rep. Perry Warren, D-Bucks; and David Zimmerman, R-Berks/Lancaster.
House Bill 1704 — introduced by Warren and Zimmerman and approved unanimously by the House Insurance Committee — would require home sellers to disclose critical flood-related information to prospective buyers.
