Updated: Bill Protecting Children On Social Media Narrowly Clears Arkansas Senate, Goes to Governor

On Thursday the Arkansas Senate narrowly passed a bill that would help protect children in Arkansas from accessing social media sites without parental consent.

S.B. 396, the Social Media Safety Act, by Sen. Tyler Dees (R – Siloam Springs) and Rep. Jon Eubanks (R – Paris) says that social media companies must use age verification to ensure minors do not access social media platforms without parental consent.

The bill contains protections for user privacy. A social media company that violated the law could be held liable.

More and more, we hear stories illustrating how social media platforms host content that isn’t suitable for children. The adults who operate these platforms should not be able to register children as users without parental consent.

In February the American Psychological Association’s Chief Science Officer told the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee that social media use heightens the risk of negative influences among adolescents, and that young people are accessing social media sites that promote eating disorders and other harmful behavior.

In December, news outlets reported how social media giant TikTok’s algorithm was suggesting videos that promoted self-harm and eating disorders to teenagers.

Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt has published an analysis determining that social media is a major cause of mental illness in girls.

And a recent CDC report found 16% of high school students were electronically bullied in 2021 through texting, Instagram, Facebook, or other social media platforms.

Legislation like S.B. 396 would help parents and social media companies protect children from harmful content online.

S.B. 396 overwhelmingly passed in the Arkansas House on Wednesday. The bill now goes to Governor Sanders to be signed into law.

The Following Senators Voted For S.B. 396

  • J. Boyd
  • L. Chesterfield
  • A. Clark
  • Crowell
  • Dees
  • J. English
  • Gilmore
  • K. Hammer
  • Hester
  • B. Johnson
  • M. Johnson
  • F. Love
  • M. McKee
  • J. Payton
  • C. Penzo
  • J. Petty
  • Rice
  • Stone
  • G. Stubblefield
  • D. Sullivan
  • D. Wallace

The Following Senators Voted Against S.B. 396

  • J. Dismang
  • Hickey
  • Hill

The Following Senators Voted “Present”

  • J. Bryant
  • B. Davis
  • J. Dotson
  • Flippo
  • Irvin
  • B. King
  • G. Leding
  • C. Tucker

The Following Senator Did Not Vote

  • R. Murdock

The Following Senators Were Excused From Voting

  • Caldwell
  • S. Flowers

Arkansas House Passes Good Bill Protecting Children On Social Media

On Wednesday the Arkansas House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill that would help protect children in Arkansas from accessing social media sites without parental consent.

S.B. 396, the Social Media Safety Act, by Sen. Tyler Dees (R – Siloam Springs) and Rep. Jon Eubanks (R – Paris) says that social media companies must use age verification to ensure minors do not access social media platforms without parental consent.

The bill contains protections for user privacy. A social media company that violated the law could be held liable.

More and more, we hear stories illustrating how social media platforms host content that isn’t suitable for children. The companies that operate these platforms should not be able to register children as users without parental consent.

In February the American Psychological Association’s Chief Science Officer told the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee that social media use heightens the risk of negative influences among adolescents, and that young people are accessing social media sites that promote eating disorders and other harmful behavior.

In December, news outlets reported how social media giant TikTok’s algorithm was suggesting videos that promoted self-harm and eating disorders to teenagers.

Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt has published an analysis determining that social media is a major cause of mental illness in girls.

And a recent CDC report found 16% of high school students were electronically bullied in 2021 through texting, Instagram, Facebook, or other social media platforms.

Legislation like S.B. 396 would help parents and social media companies protect children from harmful content online.

S.B. 396 narrowly cleared the Arkansas Senate in a vote last week. The bill now must go back to the Arkansas Senate for concurrence in amendments the House made to it.

The Following Representatives Voted for S.B. 396

  • Achor
  • F. Allen
  • Andrews
  • Barker
  • Beaty Jr.
  • Beck
  • Bentley
  • M. Berry
  • S. Berry
  • Breaux
  • Brooks
  • K. Brown
  • M. Brown
  • Burkes
  • Joey Carr
  • John Carr
  • Cavenaugh
  • Clowney
  • C. Cooper
  • Cozart
  • Dalby
  • Eaves
  • Eubanks
  • Evans
  • D. Ferguson
  • K. Ferguson
  • C. Fite
  • L. Fite
  • Fortner
  • Furman
  • Gazaway
  • Gramlich
  • Haak
  • Hawk
  • D. Hodges
  • G. Hodges
  • Holcomb
  • Hollowell
  • Jean
  • L. Johnson
  • Ladyman
  • Long
  • Lundstrum
  • Lynch
  • Maddox
  • Magie
  • McAlindon
  • McClure
  • McCollum
  • M. McElroy
  • McGrew
  • McNair
  • S. Meeks
  • Milligan
  • J. Moore
  • K. Moore
  • Nicks
  • Painter
  • Pearce
  • Perry
  • Pilkington
  • Puryear
  • J. Richardson
  • Richmond
  • Rose
  • Rye
  • Schulz
  • Scott
  • R. Scott Richardson
  • Steimel
  • Tosh
  • Underwood
  • Unger
  • Vaught
  • Walker
  • Wardlaw
  • Warren
  • Watson
  • D. Whitaker
  • Wing
  • Wooldridge
  • Wooten

The Following Representatives Voted Against S.B. 396

  • A. Collins
  • Duffield
  • Duke
  • Ennett
  • Gonzales
  • Hudson
  • J. Mayberry
  • McCullough
  • Springer
  • Womack

The Following Representatives Voted “Present”

  • D. Garner
  • B. McKenzie
  • Ray
  • T. Shephard

The Following Representatives Did Not Vote

  • Crawford
  • V. Flowers
  • Miller
  • Speaker Shepherd

Bill Banning Delta-8 THC Overwhelmingly Passes in Arkansas House of Representatives

On Wednesday the Arkansas House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a good bill prohibiting Delta-8 THC in Arkansas.

S.B. 358 by Sen. Tyler Dees (R – Siloam Springs) and Rep. Jimmy Gazaway (R – Paragould) prevents Delta-8 THC from being manufactured via industrial hemp in Arkansas.

The bill would place Delta-8, Delta-9, Delta-10 THC, and other psychoactive drugs made from industrial hemp on the list of controlled substances in state law.

S.B. 358 also contains language enacting drug restrictions that would take effect if a state or federal court someday blocked Arkansas from prohibiting Delta-8 altogether.

Delta-8 THC is a mind-altering substance made from cannabis, and Arkansas law does not adequately prohibit it.

S.B. 358 is a good bill that will clarify Arkansas’ drug laws and helps provide protections against dangerous marijuana products.

The bill now goes back to the Arkansas Senate for concurrence in amendments the House made to the measure.

The Following Representatives Voted For S.B. 358

  • Achor
  • Andrews
  • Barker
  • Beaty Jr.
  • Beck
  • Bentley
  • M. Berry
  • S. Berry
  • Breaux
  • Brooks
  • K. Brown
  • M. Brown
  • Burkes
  • Joey Carr
  • Cavenaugh
  • A. Collins
  • C. Cooper
  • Cozart
  • Crawford
  • Dalby
  • Duffield
  • Duke
  • Eaves
  • Ennett
  • Eubanks
  • Evans
  • D. Ferguson
  • C. Fite
  • L. Fite
  • V. Flowers
  • Fortner
  • Furman
  • Gazaway
  • Gonzales
  • Gramlich
  • Haak
  • G. Hodges
  • Holcomb
  • Hollowell
  • Hudson
  • Jean
  • L. Johnson
  • Ladyman
  • Lundstrum
  • Lynch
  • Maddox
  • Magie
  • J. Mayberry
  • McAlindon
  • McClure
  • McCullough
  • M. McElroy
  • McGrew
  • McNair
  • S. Meeks
  • Milligan
  • J. Moore
  • Nicks
  • Painter
  • Pearce
  • Perry
  • Pilkington
  • Puryear
  • Ray
  • J. Richardson
  • Richmond
  • Rose
  • Rye
  • Schulz
  • Scott
  • R. Scott Richardson
  • T. Shephard
  • Springer
  • Steimel
  • Tosh
  • Underwood
  • Unger
  • Vaught
  • Walker
  • Wardlaw
  • Watson
  • D. Whitaker
  • Wing
  • Wooldridge
  • Wooten

The Following Representatives Voted Against S.B. 358

  • Clowney
  • D. Garner
  • Long
  • B. McKenzie
  • Womack

The Following Representatives Voted “Present”

  • John Carr
  • Hawk
  • McCollum

The Following Representatives Did Not Vote

  • F. Allen
  • K. Ferguson
  • D. Hodges
  • Miller
  • K. Moore
  • Warren
  • Speaker Shepherd