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Senate adopts amendment restoring parental opt-out to online-notification rule for minors
Summary
Senators adopted an amendment to House Bill 4 27 restoring parents' ability to opt out of automated notifications about minors' account connections; the amendment was adopted 26–9 and the bill later passed the Senate 35–0 as amended.
Senators on the floor amended House Bill 4 27 to restore a parental opt-out for notifications tied to minors' online account interactions and then approved the bill as amended.
Senator Seabaugh offered the amendment, explaining it would reinstate parents' ability to choose whether they receive automatic notifications when a minor makes an online connection. "This amendment would simply put the opt out back in," the senator said, describing the change as returning the law to the opt-out language that passed last year and avoiding automatic, mandatory notifications that could inundate families.
Senator Bass opposed removing mandatory notice, arguing parents should be notified by default and then have the option to opt out. Other senators said the committee amendment unintentionally removed choice and that restoring the opt-out was a necessary fix. The amendment was adopted on a recorded vote of 26 yays and 9 nays. The full bill, as amended, was then advanced and recorded as passing the Senate 35 yays and 0 nays.
What it means: The amendment makes parental notification discretionary for parents who want it, rather than imposing automatic, mandatory notifications for every minor interaction. Lawmakers framed the change as restoring parental choice while trying to preserve protections for minors from harmful material.
The bill and amendment discussions were primarily floor-level policy and technical clarifications; senators noted the amendment corrected language they said had been altered unintentionally in committee.
