Bill > HB208

This bill amends two Kentucky Revised Statutes to address technology use in public schools, specifically focusing on students' use of personal telecommunications devices and social media access. The first section modifies KRS 158.165 to require school district boards to develop a policy that prohibits students from using personal telecommunications devices during instructional time, with exceptions for emergencies, teacher-directed instructional purposes, or teacher authorization. The definition of "personal telecommunications device" is expanded to clarify that devices used by students with disabilities under specific federal acts are not included in the restriction. The second section updates KRS 156.675 to include social media in the Kentucky Board of Education's existing regulations preventing inappropriate digital content in schools. The bill requires schools to use filtering technology to block social media and sexually explicit material, with a new provision specifying that these restrictions do not apply when a teacher authorizes social media access for instructional purposes. The changes aim to provide clearer guidelines for technology use in educational settings while maintaining flexibility for educational contexts and accommodating students with disabilities.

Education

https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/25RS/hb208.html