BOSTON, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - Massachusetts lawmakers proposed legislation that bans social media for children under 14, requires parental consent for 14- and 15-year-olds, and creates statewide restrictions on students’ personal devices during the school day.

Supporters say it’s about student focus and mental health — while districts would still have to set up ways for parents to reach their kids in an emergency. The vote passed through its second reading with an amendment to the enactment clause. Now, one more reading needs to happen before this bill becomes a law.

Districts will now have to prohibit students from using and even carrying a personal device on them during the school day. This includes lunch, recess, and passing time in between classes. However, schools must also offer at least one way for parents to contact students. Plus, discipline for phone usage cannot include suspension or expulsion and may vary by district.

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, or DESE, would publish a guidance and model policy, and districts must file those policies annually by September 1st. If a local policy isn’t approved by then, the state’s model policy would temporarily take over. If this legislation gets approved, the state will have to review and update their guidance each year and report how the implementation is going by the end of next calendar year.

Under the new proposal, social media platforms will now have to block anyone under the age of 14 from having an account. 14- and 15-year-olds would need verifiable parental consent before a teen can sign up. Companies would also have to verify users’ ages and give parents access to the information that their minor submits.

We’ll continue to follow the impact of this legislation both on air and online.

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