Requires school districts to include instruction on risks associated with social media and cell phone addiction in grades 6 through 12.

A1281

ASSEMBLY, No. 1281

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman MICHAEL INGANAMORT

District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)

Assemblyman� CODY D. MILLER

District 4 (Atlantic, Camden and Gloucester)

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires school districts to include instruction on
risks associated with social media and cell phone addiction in grades 6 through
12.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.

��

An Act
concerning instruction on risks associated with social
media use and cell phone addiction in public high schools and amending
P.L.2013, c.257.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� Section 1 of P.L.2013,
c.257 (C.18A:35-4.27) is amended to read as follows:

���� 1. a. Beginning with the
[
2014-2015
school year
]

first full school year following the effective date of P.L.��� , c.����
(pending before the Legislature as this bill)
, each school district shall
incorporate instruction on the responsible use of
, and risks associated
with,
social media
[
into
the technology education curriculum
]

and cell phones
for students in grades 6 through
[
8
]

12
as
part of the district's implementation of the
[
Core
Curriculum Content Standards in Technology
]

New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical
Education
.

���� b.��� The instruction shall
provide students with information on:

���� (1)� the purpose and
[
acceptable
]

responsible

use of various social media platforms
and cell phones
;

���� (2)� social media behavior
that ensures cyber safety, cyber security, and cyber ethics;
[
and
]

���� (3)�
the
potential
negative consequences
[
,
including cyber bullying,
]

of failing to use various social media platforms responsibly
, including
cyber bullying and cell phone addiction; and

����
(4)� the potential negative
impact of social media and cell phone addiction on an individual�s mental
health, personal relationships, and personal development
.

���� c.��� The Commissioner of
Education shall provide school districts with sample learning activities and
resources designed to promote the responsible use of social media
and cell
phones
.

(cf: P.L.2013, c.257, s.1)

���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill requires school
districts to include instruction on the risks associated with social media and
cell phone addiction in grades 6 through 12.

���� Under current law, school
districts are required to incorporate instruction on the responsible use of
social media into the technology education curriculum of students in grades 6
through 8 as part of the district�s implementation of the Core Curriculum Content
Standards in Technology.

���� This bill requires school
districts to incorporate instruction on the risks associated with social media
and cell phone addiction for students in grades 6 through 12 as part of the
district�s implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in
Comprehensive Health and Physical Education.� Under the bill, the instruction
is to provide information in addition to what is required under current law
concerning the potential negative impact cell phone addiction and social media
use my have on a student�s mental health, personal relationships, and personal
development.