HB2793

THE CONTEXT: A local education agency must adopt policies regarding the use of technology and the internet while at school that include: 1) notifying a parent of the adopted policies; and 2) the parent's ability to prohibit their student from using technology and the internet while at school in which personally identifiable information or material that meets prescribed criteria may be shared with the operator of an internet website, online service, online application or mobile application as specified ( A. R.

WHAT THE BILL DID: The final vetoed version would instruct a governing board or governing body to prescribe policies that: a) govern student access to the internet as provided by the school, including policies that restrict student access to social media platforms; and b) limit the use of wireless communication devices by students during the school day, specifies the policies to govern student access to the internet must allow teachers to give students access to social media platforms as necessary for educational purposes, and require the policies to limit the use of wireless communication devices by students to allow students to use these devices for educational purposes, as directed by their teacher, or during an emergency.

WHY IT MATTERED: The practical reason for this bill was to set a clear legal boundary for school policies instead of leaving the conduct unaddressed. It would instruct a governing board or governing body to prescribe policies that: a) govern student access to the internet as provided by the school, including policies that restrict student access to social media platforms; and b) limit the use of wireless communication devices by students during the school day, and would also specifies the policies to govern student access to the internet must allow teachers to give students access to social media platforms as necessary for educational purposes, rather than leave the current rule unchanged.