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S 2786School Safety

Education - Student Computer Device Privacy

Schools are banned from remotely accessing cameras, microphones, or GPS on student devices unless there is a warrant, emergency, or loss.

Held for study
Population
Affected
35
Email Legislator
Introduced Mar 4, 2026Committee Senate Education

Plain-English Summary

This legislation establishes the "Student Computer Device Privacy" act to protect the digital privacy of students. It prohibits educational institutions and school districts from remotely activating audio, video, or location tracking features on student devices (both school-issued and personal) without consent. Exceptions are provided for judicial warrants, locating lost or stolen devices, or responding to imminent threats to life or safety. If a device is accessed due to an emergency, the school must notify the parents within 72 hours. The bill allows for civil lawsuits if these privacy rights are violated.

For younger readers

This new rule protects your privacy on computers or tablets you use for school. It says that the school cannot turn on your camera or microphone to watch or listen to you without asking. They also cannot use the computer to track exactly where you are. The only times they can do this are if the computer is lost or stolen, if the police have a special order, or if there is a dangerous emergency. If they do turn it on during an emergency, they must send a letter to your parents explaining why.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
StudentsParents and Legal GuardiansSchool AdministratorsSchool IT DepartmentsSchool Districts
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost
Amount unknown
Estimated revenue
None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Protects the civil liberties and privacy rights of students, preventing unwarranted surveillance by institutional authorities on minors.
  • Increases transparency and accountability by requiring schools to provide written explanations to parents whenever emergency surveillance powers are utilized.
  • Empowers families to seek legal recourse and damages through civil action if a school district abuses its power and violates a student's digital privacy.
  • May hinder the ability of school administration to intervene quickly in situations involving cyberbullying or mental health crises if they cannot easily monitor device usage.
  • Could divert limited educational funds away from student services and towards legal fees or damages resulting from civil lawsuits allowed by the bill.
  • The exemption for correctional facilities denies the same privacy protections to incarcerated youth, who are often among the most vulnerable and marginalized populations.
For Conservatives
  • Protects individual Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable search and seizure by government-run educational institutions.
  • Strengthens parental rights by ensuring parents are informed if the government accesses their child's device and by requiring parental consent for non-emergency third-party access.
  • Limits government overreach by strictly defining the narrow circumstances under which state actors can monitor private citizens.
  • Creates a new avenue for costly litigation against taxpayers by allowing civil actions and attorney fees to be awarded against school districts.
  • Imposes new administrative burdens and reporting requirements on schools, potentially increasing bureaucracy and distracting from the core educational mission.
  • May restrict school security and administration from effectively managing their own property (institutional devices) to ensure safety and compliance with school rules.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 75 additions

SECTION 1. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled "EDUCATION" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter: 16-117-1. Definitions. As used in this chapter, the following words and terms shall have the following meanings:

(1) "De-identified" means data from which all personally identifiable information has been removed.

(2) "Educational institution" or "school" means any public institution that offers participants, students, or trainees an organized course of study or training that is academic, trade oriented or preparatory for gainful employment in a recognized occupation and shall include any person acting as an agent of the institution.

(3) "Institutional device" means any computing device, including computer, laptop, tablet, smartphone or other electronic device owned or maintained by the educational institution or school district and provided to a student for educational use.

(4) "Location data" means records of global positioning system or other precise location data either recorded historically or in real time.

(5) "Personal device" means any computing device, including computer, laptop, tablet, smartphone or other electronic device provided by the end user being used for educational purposes.

(6) "School district" means any local education agency and shall include any person acting as an agent of the agency.

(7) "Student" means any student, participant, or trainee, whether full-time or part-time, in an organized course of study at an educational institution. 16-117-2. Restricted access to audio and video functions.

(a) No educational institution or school district shall activate or access, or request a third party, other than a student's parent or legal guardian, to activate or access, any audio or video receiving, transmitting, or recording functions on a student's institutional device or personal device, unless:

(1) A student initiates the activation for educational purposes and access is limited to that purpose;

(2) The activation and/or access is ordered pursuant to a judicial warrant; or

(3) Activation and/or access is deemed reasonably necessary in order to respond to a suspected imminent threat to life or safety and is limited to that purpose.

(b) Within seventy-two (72) hours of activating and/or accessing, or requesting activation and/or access by a third party other than the student's parent or legal guardian, to the audio or video receiving, transmitting, or recording functions on a student's institutional device or personal device pursuant to subsection (a)(3) of this section, the educational institution or school district shall provide to the student and their parent or legal guardian a written explanation of the precise threat that prompted the access and the data and features that were activated and/or accessed.

(c) No third party, other than a student's parent or legal guardian, shall activate or access any audio or video receiving, transmitting, or recording functions on a student's institutional device or personal device for any reason other than those provided in subsection (a) of this section. Within seventy-two (72) hours of activating and/or accessing such functions pursuant to subsection (a)(3) of this section, the third party shall provide to the educational institution or school district a written explanation of the precise threat that prompted the access and the data and features that were activated and/or accessed.

(d) Within seventy-two (72) hours of receiving information pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, the educational institution or school district shall forward the explanation to the student and their parent or legal guardian. 16-117-3. Restricted access to location data.

(a) No educational institution or school district may access or use location data for tracking a student's institutional device or personal device, or request a third party other than a student's parent or legal guardian, to do so, unless:

(1) Such access or use is ordered pursuant to a judicial warrant;

(2) The student to whom the institutional device was provided, or their parent or legal guardian, has notified the educational institution or school district in writing that the institutional device is missing or stolen, or the device has not been returned when required for inventory purposes;

(3) The access or use is deemed reasonably necessary in order to respond to a suspected imminent threat to life or safety and is limited to that purpose; or

(4) The data is retrieved in a de-identified manner and is used only to determine whether the device is on-site or off-site.

(b) Within seventy-two (72) hours of accessing or using, or requesting a third party other than a student's parent or legal guardian to access or use, the location data for a student's institutional device or personal device pursuant to subsection (a)(3) of this section, the educational institution or school district shall provide to the student and their parent or legal guardian a written explanation of the precise threat that prompted the access or use and the data and features that were accessed or used. 16-117-4. Authority to adopt policies. School districts shall have the authority to adopt policies to further implement this chapter. 16-117-5. Penalties.

(a) In any civil action alleging a violation or proposed violation of this chapter, the court may award to a prevailing plaintiff appropriate injunctive and declaratory relief, damages, and reasonable attorneys' fees and costs.

(b) The rights provided a parent or legal guardian under this chapter shall accrue to any student who is eighteen (18) years of age or older. 16-117-6. Exemption for correctional facilities. This chapter shall not apply to institutional or personal devices used in a prison or other correctional facility or as part of a program run by or on behalf of such a facility.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on August 1, 2026.