UNION - Phil Murphy proposed banning cellphones in school back in January, but state lawmakers never followed up.

Mikie Sherrill says she's ready to take up the challenge.

"It's not doing our children any favors," she said Monday in unveiling plans for "Kids Online Safety." That program includes banning cellphones in the classroom.

A bit later, she added that school kids just "need some space" in the classroom from the constant draw of cell phones and social media.

Some school districts have banned student cell phone use, but there has been no statewide initiative. Sherrill said that just about every student is going to pay attention to a beeping phone in class even if otherwise occupied.

Sherrill commented about cell phones during a press conference at Kean University that began on a very somber note.

A mother said her child committed suicide - a victim of constant online bullying. She said the bullying even continued during the child's funeral.

Also speaking was a teenager named Adam, who said he, too, was harassed online while in middle school.

Sherrill said state action on online safety is needed because Congress has failed to act on the problem. She blamed Republicans, who control both houses, and the close relationship between tech companies and Donald Trump.

Long seen as left-leaning, a number of tech executives, nonetheless, attended and had prominent seats at Trump's inauguration.

The CD11 congresswoman and Democratic gubernatorial candidate proposed a social media addiction center to study the ins and outs of internet danger.

She envisioned a group that would document abuses and give advice on such things as the appropriate age for a child to get a cell phone.

She also wants to educate parents, or as she put it, "Give them the tools," they need.. A mother of four, Sherrill said parents may "lock" their child's phones and computers to block access, but to no avail. She said that's because most kids know more about computer technology than their parents.

The election is now less than a month away - it is precisely four weeks from Tuesday.

So, Sherrill was asked about some polls that have the race "neck and neck."

She replied that the questioner must be looking at the wrong polls. She said most of the polls have her up by 7 or 8 points.

That's true about most polls. But there was an Emerson poll about two weeks ago that had the race tied.