HARTFORD, CT (WFSB) – State lawmakers are preparing for the start of the next legislative session.
Key discussions are expected to focus on the budget, policy priorities, and new laws.
Two major pieces of legislation aimed at protecting children have gained attention.
Gov. Ned Lamont and Attorney General William Tong proposed legislation that would help fight social media addiction in children.
The proposed bill already has bipartisan support and is modeled after similar measures in New York, California, and Utah.
The bill would combat youth social media addiction by prohibiting social media companies from exposing minors to “harmful and addictive algorithms and notifications without parental consent.”
The proposal creates a series of default settings regarding account privacy, time of use, and notifications, including banning notifications at night.
Parental consent would be required to alter the default settings.
It will also require a warning label pop-up when a minor opens a social media app informing them of the mental health dangers social media proposes.
“They focus on kids and they make the things that kids are interested in more attractive,” said former House Republican leader Themis Klarides. “So some of the proposals are let’s shut down their ability to be on social media from nine at night, eight in the morning without parental control.”
Similar legislation was introduced and approved by the Connecticut House of Representatives in 2025; however, it was not called for a vote in the state Senate before the regular session adjourned.
Also, teacher unions and advocates are pushing for a bill to ban cell phones inside classrooms across the state.
Supporters said it will protect students’ mental health and allow students to focus on learning.
The Connecticut Education Association, AFT Connecticut, and a student advocacy group called The Anxious Generation Movement formed a coalition called “Phone-Free CT.”
The coalition said it wants lawmakers to pass legislation that would allow phone-free environments in public schools, ensuring devices are stored securely during the school day for all grades in all public schools.
The proposal would implement flexibility for districts, such as Yondr pouches or secure lockers, and measure student engagement, attendance, and wellbeing at school without cellphones.
The coalition said that restricting cell phone use during the school day improves both academic outcomes and the classroom environment.
Teachers in other states where cell phones have been banned have reported fewer classroom disruptions, stronger student engagement, and improvements in student behavior and social interactions.
The legislative session starts Wednesday morning at the state Capitol.
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