The bill, H.B. No. 3160, mandates that public schools and libraries in Texas adopt Internet safety and technology protection policies to safeguard minors accessing online resources. Specifically, school districts and open-enrollment charter schools are required to implement a policy that complies with the Children's Internet Protection Act and ensures that vendors of online materials certify compliance with federal laws regarding obscene materials and harmful content. Additionally, the policy must establish a procedure for the public to report concerns about students' online access and require annual reporting to the relevant agency, which will publish these reports on its website. Non-compliance may result in withholding of state funding.
Similarly, public libraries must adopt a comparable Internet safety and technology protection policy that protects minors using online library resources. This includes compliance with the same federal laws and the establishment of a public reporting procedure for concerns related to minors' online access. Libraries are also required to submit annual reports to the commission, which will publish these reports online. The bill emphasizes the importance of compliance, stating that libraries not adhering to the policy will be ineligible for state funding. The act is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.
Statutes affected: Introduced: ()