Bill S.294

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1737 FILED ON: 1/18/2019

SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 294

By Mr. Humason (by request), a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 294) of Kirstin Beatty for legislation to limit school screen time. Education.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

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An Act limiting school screen time.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. Chapter 69 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting, after Section 36, the following section:-

(a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following meanings:

“Screen time” is time viewing a technological or digital screen which includes but is not limited to a television, a smart board, projector, or computer.

“Passive screen time” is time viewing a technological or digital screen in which one only observes and does not interact or alter the screen by typing or otherwise moving the body.

“Interactive screen time” is time viewing and interacting with or altering a technological or digital screen by typing or otherwise moving the body.

“Virtual reality” is an interactive screen time experience taking place in a simulated visual environment, either real or imagined, and may incorporate auditory and sensory feedback. Augmented reality systems is a type of virtual reality in which perception of the real world is augmented by computer-generated perceptual information such as visual, auditory, haptic, somatosensory, and olfactory.

(b) It shall be unlawful for any student enrolled in either public primary or secondary schools in the Commonwealth to exceed screen time limits or during school hours and through related school assignments after school hours, except as when substantially beneficial to relieve disability.

It shall further be unlawful to mandate screen time as a condition of mandated public primary and secondary coursework or school activities.

Courses or school activities that revolve around screen time must be voluntary, and screen time requirements in those activities highly relevant to the subject matter of the course or school activity. Participation in courses or school activities with additional screen time, whether foreign language, computer language, or other relevant subject, must obtain student legal guardian consent while providing justification for the additional screen time and explaining how risks of excessive screen time will be limited. Additional screen time outside the parameters of the screen time limits must be approved not only by student legal guardians, but by a Technology Safety Council that is inclusive and not exclusive of district or school parents, teachers, and legal guardians.

Use of virtual reality shall be preceded by notice of any potential risks or cautionary warnings accompanying use, obtain legal guardian consent, and shall be not be used by children or adolescents through the age of fourteen.

Each school committee shall establish a policy dealing with students and staff who violate this law that includes consequences to prevent violations and may include redirection. This policy may include but not be limited to mandatory education on the hazards of excessive screen time. Nothing in this law preempts more restrictive state or local limitations.

(1) Pre-K through kindergarten screen time: maximum of zero hours

(2) First through second grade passive screen time: maximum two hours per school year;

(3) First through second grade interactive screen time: maximum of zero hours

(4) Grade three through eight passive screen time: maximum of one hour a day and 2.5 hours total in the school year;

(5) Grade three through eight interactive screen time: maximum of 20 minutes a day and a maximum of 3.5 hours total in the school year;

(6) Grade nine through ten passive screen time: maximum of one hour a day and 5 hours total in the school year;

(7) Grade nine through ten interactive screen time: maximum of one hour daily and 12 hours total in the school year.

(8) Grade eleven through twelve passive screen time: maximum of one hour a day and 7 hours total in the school year;

(9) Grade eleven through twelve interactive screen time: maximum of one hour daily and 12 hours total in the school year.

SECTION 2. Section 1I of chapter 69 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph after the first paragraph:-

Technology shall be optional and not a required school subject. No school, student, or legal guardian shall be treated with prejudice or found wanting in an evaluation due to following a principle of restricting or avoiding student digital technology use or choosing not to purchase or upgrade digital technological equipment. A student or school may safely restrict or avoid digital student technology use and still be provided high marks in evaluation based on other measures, and may pursue alternative models of education such as the Montessori model. Within reason, however, such a school may be expected to insure students understand age-appropriate aspects of digital technology use related to safety, health, responsibility, societal impacts, and privacy.

Name:	District/Address:
Kirstin Beatty