Massachusetts lawmakers took a big step toward implementing the nation’s “most restrictive” legislation governing kids’ access to social media and cellphones at school, but the measure still has to pass several hurdles. What the House passed Wednesday is significantly different from a measure the Senate passed in July.The Senate bill included only the ban on cellphones for students during the school day; it did not include the House’s proposed requirement that social media companies implement age verification tools to block users under the age of 14. Senate President Karen Spilka signaled that she was “excited to review” the modified proposal, but stopped short of saying whether she endorsed the approach. What’s next for the social media ban?Because of the heavy modifications, the bill is expected to go to a conference committee, where the branches of the Legislature will negotiate a reconciled version of the bill.Ultimately, both the House and the Senate must pass the same version of a bill before it can become law. The members of the conference committee, appointed by the speaker of the House and the Senate president, are tasked with developing a version that a majority of both branches will be willing to adopt. Assuming a version of the law eventually passes, it will move to the governor’s desk. The governor has 10 days to decide whether to sign or veto the bill, but a veto can be overridden by two-thirds of either branch. Notably, in this case, the House passed its amended version of the bill with a 129-25 vote, and the Senate passed the original version 38-2.Included in the House billThe latest version of the bill prohibits social media platforms from accepting users under age 14 and requires parental consent for users aged 14 or 15. Platforms will be required to implement an age verification system to enforce that rule, and failure to comply will be subject to civil fines. Lawmakers will lean on the office of the attorney general to develop regulations for the implementation of the rules after the passage of the measure. All school districts would be required to implement a policy prohibiting personal electronic devices during the school day. Options for that process could include the secure storage of the gadgets or the use of blocking technology that makes them inoperable. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education would be required to take the lead on developing and implementing the policies.
Massachusetts lawmakers took a big step toward implementing the nation’s “most restrictive” legislation governing kids’ access to social media and cellphones at school, but the measure still has to pass several hurdles.
What the House passed Wednesday is significantly different from a measure the Senate passed in July.
The Senate bill included only the ban on cellphones for students during the school day; it did not include the House’s proposed requirement that social media companies implement age verification tools to block users under the age of 14. Senate President Karen Spilka signaled that she was “excited to review” the modified proposal, but stopped short of saying whether she endorsed the approach.
What’s next for the social media ban?
Because of the heavy modifications, the bill is expected to go to a conference committee, where the branches of the Legislature will negotiate a reconciled version of the bill.
Ultimately, both the House and the Senate must pass the same version of a bill before it can become law. The members of the conference committee, appointed by the speaker of the House and the Senate president, are tasked with developing a version that a majority of both branches will be willing to adopt.
Assuming a version of the law eventually passes, it will move to the governor’s desk. The governor has 10 days to decide whether to sign or veto the bill, but a veto can be overridden by two-thirds of either branch.
Notably, in this case, the House passed its amended version of the bill with a 129-25 vote, and the Senate passed the original version 38-2.
Included in the House bill
The latest version of the bill prohibits social media platforms from accepting users under age 14 and requires parental consent for users aged 14 or 15. Platforms will be required to implement an age verification system to enforce that rule, and failure to comply will be subject to civil fines.
Lawmakers will lean on the office of the attorney general to develop regulations for the implementation of the rules after the passage of the measure.
All school districts would be required to implement a policy prohibiting personal electronic devices during the school day. Options for that process could include the secure storage of the gadgets or the use of blocking technology that makes them inoperable. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education would be required to take the lead on developing and implementing the policies.
