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Senate committee backs bill requiring brief parental education on student technology use
Summary
Senators favorably recommended SB 98, which directs the state board to produce a short video for parents about student technology risks; bill sponsors cited sexting, online solicitation and a planned $100,000 outreach RFA.
Senators on the committee voted to give a favorable recommendation to SB 98, Parental Education on Student Use of Technology, after the sponsor and law-enforcement and attorney general representatives described a plan to produce a brief video for parents about safety and legal issues students may encounter online.
The bill, sponsored in committee by Senator Wilson, asks the Utah State Board of Education to develop a concise video for parents outlining safety and legal risks associated with student use of technology and social media. Senator Wilson told the committee the working group that drafted the proposal included the Utah Attorney General's office, the Utah Courts, the State Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, the Utah Association of School Resource Officers, the sentencing commission and other stakeholders.
Detective Chris Ruiz, a school resource officer with the Pleasant Grove Police Department and president of the Utah Association of School Resource Officers, told the committee he frequently encounters unreported incidents of students exchanging sexually explicit images and said parents are often unaware of those incidents. "When it is reported and it comes across my desk, many times ... parents are unaware that their child has been involved," Ruiz said, urging preemptive education for parents.
Erin Winn of the Office of the Utah Attorney General described national reporting trends and said the office sees an "urgent need for awareness and protective measures"; she cited National Center for Missing and Exploited Children data presented to the committee and urged parental education to reduce harm. Senator Wilson said the bill is paired with an application-for-proposal (RFA) request for $100,000 to support a public outreach campaign directing parents to the video and related resources managed by the state Office of Families.
Public commenters included Corinne Johnson, president of Utah Parents United, who said schools have introduced sensitive topics such as sexting to students without parental notice and urged passage, and Jonas Rodriguez, who voiced broad support for protecting children. Committee members asked few clarifying questions.
The motion to favorably recommend SB 98 as amended passed unanimously; the chair recorded the committee's ruling as unanimous and noted an online aye from Senator Filmore.
SB 98 will move to the full Senate for further consideration, where sponsors indicated they expect to amend the language on the Senate floor to specify a "brief video" rather than a longer presentation.
