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Senate Education panel advances H650 to pause chatbot use in schools, sets working group
Summary
The Senate Education Committee voted to send H650 (draft 3.1, revised) to the floor after adopting a small wording change; the bill enacts a two-year pause on chatbot usage in schools, allows principals to grant educational exceptions, and creates a working group to inventory edtech and recommend opt-out and certification policies.
The Senate Education Committee voted May 12 to report H650 (draft 3.1, with a small heading change) favorably to the floor, advancing a two-year pause on chatbot usage in K–12 schools and directing a working group to study edtech registration, opt-outs and certification.
Rick Seel of the Office of Legislative Council briefed the committee on draft 3.1 and explained the principal components: technical edits to section headings, a replacement of the prior prohibition with a ‘‘two-year pause’’ on chatbot use, and an exception allowing a school principal or head of school to grant an educational exemption. Seel summarized the effective dates: the act would take effect July 1 (implementation date as stated) and the ban on student use would remain in place until June 30, 2028, unless exempted by a principal.
Seel also said the working group’s tasks would include compiling a list of edtech products, consulting the Agency of Education (AOE), the superintendent association and the independent schools association, checking company registration with the Secretary of State, interviewing stakeholders about safety, recommending whether students or parents should have an opt-out right, and structuring edtech certification tasks.
One committee member said the bill was ‘‘founded on unpounded fears’’ and indicated they would vote no but supported the working-group approach; other senators argued the measure struck a middle ground that allows schools and parents a point of contact while a working group studies technical details. The committee then took a roll-call vote. The chair reported the tally as 4–1–1: Senators Hashim, Hefernan, Ron Hinsdale and Bongards voted yes; Senator Weeks voted no; one member (Terry) was absent.
The committee’s favorable report sends H650 to the floor with the noted wording change (replace the word “prohibition” in the section heading with phrasing reflecting a chatbot-usage pause) and the working-group assignments in the bill text. Staff and members said they will track floor scheduling and may return with amendments as needed.
