Creating a Special Legislative Commission to Study the Use and Impact of Digital and Electronic Technology in Public Education and on Mental Health

WHEREAS, The use of digital and electronic technology in public education has increased significantly over the past decade; and

WHEREAS, This increased use has taken place in areas that rely on digital and electronic technology, and the extent or depth to which teachers, students, and parents/responsible adults are learning and interacting with this technology has also increased; and

WHEREAS, Along with the increased breadth and depth of use of digital and electronic technology, there has been even greater advancements, enhancements and updates to this technology, which in many ways outpaces the ability of schools to fully vet, review, and analyze these changes, and for parents/responsible adults to be aware of the technologies their children are accessing and utilizing; and

WHEREAS, The increased use of this technology has impacted the way classes are taught, the way students learn, and the way schools are administered; and

WHEREAS, While this increased use of such items as third-party digital platform technologies, social media, and the machine learning commonly referred to as “Artificial Intelligence” potentially give third-party vendors and providers, social media content creators, and others who operate in “cyberspace” great influence in the way education is delivered in Rhode Island and the way children learn, there has been little study of the impact and changes the use of these platforms and technologies might have on public education in Rhode Island; and

WHEREAS, These same concerns about the use of technology and its possible effects on children in education can also arise as an issue in mental health care, particularly on persons who may be in a vulnerable position; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission to study the use and impact of digital and electronic technology in public education and on mental health is hereby created consisting of fourteen (14) members: Four (4) of whom shall be members of the House of Representatives, not more than three

(3) from the same political party, of whom three (3) shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House and one of whom shall be appointed by the Minority Leader; one of whom shall be the Rhode Island Attorney General, or designee; one of whom shall be a member of the State Police computer crimes unit, appointed by the Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police; one of whom shall be the Director of the Rhode Island Foundation, or designee; two (2) of whom shall be public school teachers, one currently teaching in a municipality with a population greater than eighty thousand (80,000) persons and one currently teaching in a municipality with a population of less than eighty thousand (80,000) persons, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; one of whom shall be the President of the Rhode Island Association of School Principals, or designee; one of whom shall be an expert in children’s behavioral health, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; one of whom shall be an expert in digital media, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; one of whom shall be a parent of a child currently enrolled in a public school in Rhode Island, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; and one of whom shall be the President of the Rhode Island Society for Technology in Education, or designee. The purpose of said commission shall be to undertake a comprehensive study of the following:

(1) The use and impact of third-party digital platforms in Rhode Island public education including, but not limited to, the use of these platforms, and the ways that these platforms could be used more effectively, as well as potential harms from the use of these platforms and ways to mitigate those harms;

(2) Exploring options to provide protections to children using online platforms, including those involving financial transactions on gaming and social media sites;

(3) The use and availability of age-appropriate school digital content, and exploring ways to ensure the use of safe software in schools, with a special emphasis on technologies which have addictive design elements, provide exposure to inappropriate conduct, or incorporate predatory data collection;

(4) Ways and best practices to ensure creators of online services, products, or features that children are likely to access, shall consider the best interests of children when designing and developing such online services, products, or features;

(5) The use of artificial intelligence in mental healthcare treatments, and the need for regulation thereof;

(6) The use of artificial intelligence companion technology and its potential impact on suicidal ideation, physical harm, or financial harm; and

(7) Additional issue raised by and when a minor is an account holder on a social media platform. The study commission shall consult with other individuals who have relevant expertise as needed. Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at the call of the Speaker of the House and shall select, from among the legislators, a chairperson. Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment. The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services. All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information, documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution. The Speaker of the House is hereby authorized and directed to provide suitable quarters for said commission; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the Education Committee of the House of Representatives no later than April 23, 2027, and said commission shall expire on May 28, 2027. EXPLANATION BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF HOUSERESOLUTION CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY THE USE AND IMPACT OF DIGITAL AND ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY IN PUBLIC EDUCATION AND ON MENTAL HEALTH *** This resolution would create a fourteen (14) member special legislative study commission to study the use and impact of digital and electronic technology in public education and on mental health, and would report its findings and recommendations to the education committee of the House of Representatives no later than April 23, 2027, and said commission would expire on May 28, 2027. ======== LC005716/SUB A ========