House committee members advanced parts of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker’s legislative agenda this week, though in many cases lawmakers did concede that they would need to amend their bills to gain broader support.
The House was working ahead of a Friday deadline for passing bills out of committee, an early test for Pritzker’s and other policy proposals, many of which have stagnated for several years.
One such measure would place new regulations on social media companies. The bill is expected to see several changes before being considered for a full vote.
House Bill 5511, the Children’s Social Media Safety Act, wold require social media companies to confirm a user’s age through the device’s operating system, prohibit companies from sending nighttime notifications to users under the age of 18, establish default privacy settings protecting a minor’s location data and profile information, and allow more parental controls. Supporters say the ultimate goal is to prevent children from consuming an addictive social media feed. The bill passed an Illinois House judiciary committee Wednesday on a 13-7 vote.
A House education committee unanimously approved the latest version of a bill requiring school boards to prohibit public school students from using their cell phones in classrooms. Senate Bill 2427 would require Illinois school districts to adopt policies by the 2027-2028 school year banning the use of wireless communication devices including cellphones, tablets, and gaming devices during school time. The bill allows exceptions for school districts to allow students to use cell phones during lunch periods, and exempts students with medical needs, who are caregivers for family members and for educational purposes.