TAMPA, Fla. — A new Florida law is banning the use of cell phones in elementary and middle schools for students.
Gov. DeSantis signed the law in May 2025, and it went into effect statewide on July 1. It states that starting in the 2025-2026 school year, elementary and middle school students are not allowed to use cell phones during the school day. High school students are allowed to use their cell phones, but they are banned from using them during instructional times unless authorized by a teacher.
The new law also created a pilot program to evaluate and study full-day restrictions on high schools in six districts, with a report to be submitted in December 2026.
Florida beekeeper loses livelihood after neighbor has 20 beehives removed from his property
An 84-year-old Citrus County beekeeper is fighting to recover 20 active beehives that were taken from his property months ago, leaving him without his main source of income and removing up to 2 million bees from the local ecosystem.