Bill > H5394

This bill establishes new regulations and guidelines concerning student use of personal electronic devices and social media, aiming to promote safe technology use and distraction-free education. It mandates that school districts develop policies to prohibit student use of personal electronic devices, such as smartphones and tablets, during the school day, with exceptions for legitimate educational purposes or documented health needs, and requires schools to provide methods for parents to contact students and vice-versa in emergencies. The bill also introduces new rules for social media platforms, requiring them to prohibit users under 14 from creating accounts and to obtain verifiable parental consent for users aged 14 and 15, while also implementing age verification systems and data privacy protections for these platforms. Additionally, it mandates that schools provide instruction on the risks of social media use and establishes a pilot program to test technology that can render personal electronic devices inoperable on school grounds. The bill sets deadlines for districts to submit their policies and for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to report on the implementation of these new measures.