| 1 | 1 | | 25 LC 59 0134 |
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| 2 | 2 | | House Bill 829 |
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| 3 | 3 | | By: Representatives Beckles of the 96 |
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| 4 | 4 | | th |
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| 5 | 5 | | , Hugley of the 141 |
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| 6 | 6 | | st |
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| 7 | 7 | | , Frye of the 122 |
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| 8 | 8 | | nd |
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| 9 | 9 | | , Williams of |
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| 10 | 10 | | the 168 |
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| 11 | 11 | | th |
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| 12 | 12 | | , Flournoy of the 74 |
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| 13 | 13 | | th |
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| 14 | 14 | | , and others |
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| 15 | 15 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 16 | 16 | | AN ACT |
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| 17 | 17 | | To amend Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to |
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| 18 | 18 | | 1 |
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| 19 | 19 | | elementary and secondary education, so as to require the Department of Education to publish2 |
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| 20 | 20 | | guidance relating to best practices for secure browsing and parental controls; to amend3 |
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| 21 | 21 | | Chapter 5 of Title 39 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to online internet4 |
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| 22 | 22 | | safety, so as to require the Attorney General publish an annual report documenting its5 |
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| 23 | 23 | | enforcement actions relating to online safety; to provide for related matters; to repeal6 |
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| 24 | 24 | | conflicting laws; and for other purposes.7 |
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| 25 | 25 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:8 |
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| 26 | 26 | | SECTION 1.9 |
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| 27 | 27 | | Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elementary and10 |
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| 28 | 28 | | secondary education, is amended by revising Code Section 20-2-149, relating to programs11 |
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| 29 | 29 | | for educating students regarding online internet safety, as follows:12 |
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| 30 | 30 | | "20-2-149.13 |
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| 31 | 31 | | (a)(1) The Department of Education shall develop model programs for educating14 |
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| 32 | 32 | | students regarding online safety while using the internet, taking into consideration15 |
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| 33 | 33 | | educational materials on this topic developed by other states as well as any other16 |
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| 34 | 34 | | H. B. 829 |
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| 35 | 35 | | - 1 - 25 LC 59 0134 |
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| 36 | 36 | | materials suggested by education experts, child psychologists, and technology companies |
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| 37 | 37 | | 17 |
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| 38 | 38 | | that promote child online safety issues.18 |
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| 39 | 39 | | (2) The model programs provided for in this subsection shall include one or more model19 |
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| 40 | 40 | | programs for students in grades six through 12 which:20 |
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| 41 | 41 | | (A) Shall include instruction regarding:21 |
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| 42 | 42 | | (i) The social, emotional, and physical effects of social media on users;22 |
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| 43 | 43 | | (ii) The effects of social media on the mental health of users, particularly teenagers;23 |
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| 44 | 44 | | (iii) The distribution of disinformation and misinformation on social media;24 |
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| 45 | 45 | | (iv) How social media influences thoughts and behaviors;25 |
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| 46 | 46 | | (v) The permanency and risks of sharing materials online;26 |
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| 47 | 47 | | (vi) The dangers of viewing material harmful to minors; |
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| 48 | 48 | | 27 |
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| 49 | 49 | | (vii) Age verification procedures on websites and social media;28 |
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| 50 | 50 | | (viii) How to maintain personal security and identify cyberbullying, predatory29 |
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| 51 | 51 | | behavior, and human trafficking on the internet and social media; and30 |
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| 52 | 52 | | (vii)(ix) How to report suspicious behavior encountered on the internet and social31 |
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| 53 | 53 | | media to appropriate persons and authorities; and32 |
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| 54 | 54 | | (B) May include information regarding the benefits of social media use, such as33 |
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| 55 | 55 | | supporting career readiness for future academic or employment opportunities, sharing34 |
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| 56 | 56 | | information with familiar family and friends, and safely connecting with other users35 |
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| 57 | 57 | | with similar interests.36 |
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| 58 | 58 | | (3) The Department of Education shall periodically update the model programs provided37 |
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| 59 | 59 | | for in this subsection to reflect changes in internet and social media use, emergent38 |
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| 60 | 60 | | technologies, social and psychological research, and information concerning new threats39 |
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| 61 | 61 | | to teenagers and young adults using social media platforms and other online40 |
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| 62 | 62 | | communication technologies.41 |
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| 63 | 63 | | (4) The Department of Education shall publish on its website information relating to the42 |
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| 64 | 64 | | model programs provided for in this Code section, including recommended curricula and43 |
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| 65 | 65 | | H. B. 829 |
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| 66 | 66 | | - 2 - 25 LC 59 0134 |
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| 67 | 67 | | instructional materials as updated periodically as provided in this subsection, along with44 |
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| 68 | 68 | | guidance relating to best practices for secure browsing and parental controls. The45 |
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| 69 | 69 | | Department of Education shall provide technical assistance in addition to such model46 |
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| 70 | 70 | | programs and recommended curricula and instructional materials to aid any local board47 |
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| 71 | 71 | | of education that may elect to incorporate one or more components of internet and social48 |
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| 72 | 72 | | media safety into its instructional program.49 |
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| 73 | 73 | | (5) The Department of Education shall evaluate the report published by the Attorney50 |
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| 74 | 74 | | General pursuant to subsection (g) of Code Section 39-5-5 in assessing the reach and51 |
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| 75 | 75 | | impact of online safety education efforts.52 |
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| 76 | 76 | | (b) Each local board of education may incorporate into its instructional program a53 |
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| 77 | 77 | | component on online internet safety, including social media safety, to be taught on a54 |
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| 78 | 78 | | schedule as determined by the local board of education."55 |
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| 79 | 79 | | SECTION 2.56 |
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| 80 | 80 | | Chapter 5 of Title 39 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to online internet57 |
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| 81 | 81 | | safety, is amended by adding a new subsection to Code Section 39-5-5, relating to58 |
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| 82 | 82 | | commercial entity age verification, access to material harmful to minors, data retention,59 |
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| 83 | 83 | | penalties, and exclusions, to read as follows:60 |
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| 84 | 84 | | "(g) The Attorney General shall publish an annual report documenting enforcement actions61 |
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| 85 | 85 | | taken under this Code section."62 |
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| 86 | 86 | | SECTION 3.63 |
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| 87 | 87 | | All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.64 |
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| 88 | 88 | | H. B. 829 |
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| 89 | 89 | | - 3 - |
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