Technology (Online Safety)

SB 1912 requires Tennessee public schools and charter schools to adopt internet acceptable use policies that include student safety protocols, parental communication guidelines, and strict limits on accessing harmful content (like pornography, violence, or self-harm material). It specifically bans schools from creating email addresses for pre-K-5 students that allow them to send or receive emails, though schools may use email addresses as security data points. The bill mandates annual audits to ensure compliance and requires digital resource providers to filter harmful content and remove inappropriate materials within one business day of a school's request. This directly affects all Tennessee public schools and pre-K-5 students by restructuring how internet safety and digital access are managed.

HJR 65 is a Tennessee House Joint Resolution urging the U.S. Congress to pass the SCREEN Act, which would require age verification for online pornography to protect minors. It also calls on Tennessee to enforce its Protect Tennessee Minors Act and the U.S. Department of Justice to prioritize enforcing federal obscenity laws. This non-binding resolution, introduced in January 2025 and withdrawn in February 2025, does not create new laws but expresses legislative support for measures to restrict minors' access to online pornography. It references statistics about minors' exposure to online porn and the lack of enforcement of existing federal obscenity laws.