The proposed bill introduces Chapter 117, titled "Student Computer Device Privacy," to Title 16 of the General Laws concerning education. This chapter establishes regulations regarding the access and use of audio, video, and location data on students' institutional and personal devices by educational institutions and school districts. Specifically, it prohibits these entities from activating or accessing audio and video functions, or using location data for tracking, unless certain conditions are met, such as:

1. A student initiates the activation for educational purposes.
2. The activation and/or access is ordered pursuant to a judicial warrant.
3. The activation and/or access is deemed reasonably necessary to respond to a suspected imminent threat to life or safety.

The bill mandates that written explanations be provided to students and their parents or legal guardians within seventy-two hours of any such access, detailing the precise threat that prompted the access and the data and features that were activated and/or accessed.

Additionally, the bill grants school districts the authority to adopt policies to further implement these privacy protections. It outlines penalties for violations, including the possibility of injunctive relief, damages, and reasonable attorneys' fees and costs for prevailing plaintiffs in civil actions. The rights provided to parents or legal guardians under this chapter will also accrue to any student who is eighteen years of age or older. This act is set to take effect on August 1, 2025.