PRINTER'S NO. 1578
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1460
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY T. DAVIS, SANCHEZ, GUENST, HILL-EVANS, HOWARD,
O'MARA, SCHWEYER, NEILSON, CIRESI, HENNESSEY, SHUSTERMAN AND
LEE, MAY 20, 2021
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MAY 20, 2021
AN ACT
Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
act relating to the public school system, including certain
provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
laws relating thereto," in terms and courses of study,
providing for Internet safety education curriculum.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
section to read:
Section 1555. Internet Safety Education Curriculum.--(a)
The department, in consultation with the Office of Attorney
General, shall establish an age-appropriate curriculum for
Internet safety instruction of students in kindergarten through
grade twelve. Beginning with the school year that commences
after the effective date of this section, a school district
shall incorporate into the school curriculum a component on
Internet safety to be taught at least once each school year to
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students in kindergarten through grade twelve. The school board
shall determine the scope and duration of this unit of
instruction. The age-appropriate unit of instruction may be
incorporated into the current courses of study regularly taught
in the district's schools, as determined by the school board.
Such instruction shall be chosen from a menu of options
developed by the department, which shall include, but not be
limited to, the following topics:
(1) Safe and responsible use of social networking websites,
chat rooms, e-mail, bulletin boards, instant messaging and other
means of communication on the Internet.
(2) Recognizing, avoiding and reporting online solicitations
of students, their classmates and their friends by sexual
predators.
(3) Risks of transmitting personal information on the
Internet.
(4) Recognizing and avoiding unsolicited or deceptive
communications received online.
(5) Recognizing and reporting online harassment and cyber
bullying.
(6) Reporting illegal activities and communications on the
Internet.
(7) Copyright laws on written materials, photographs, music
and video.
(b) The department may develop curricula to serve the
instructional needs of multiple grades of students, such as one
curriculum for elementary school students, one curriculum for
middle school students and one curriculum for high school
students.
(c) In developing the Internet safety education curriculum,
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the department shall take into consideration similar curricula
in other states and other curricular materials suggested by
education experts, child psychologists or technology companies
that work on child online safety issues. The department shall
also conduct a thorough review of publicly available materials
on the topics of safe online communications, privacy protection,
cyber bullying, viewing inappropriate material, file-sharing and
the importance of open communications with responsible adults.
The department shall make such resource materials that it deems
appropriate available on its publicly accessible Internet
website.
(d) Curricula devised in accordance with subsection (a)
shall be developed within six (6) months of the effective date
of this section.
(e) A parent or legal guardian of a student who is under
eighteen (18) years of age, within a reasonable period of time
after the request is made, shall be permitted to examine the
Internet safety curriculum instructional materials at the school
in which the student is enrolled.
(f) At the request of a parent or guardian, a student shall
be excused from all or parts of the Internet safety curriculum
instruction. The principal shall notify all parents or guardians
of their ability to withdraw their children from instruction in
the curriculum by returning a signed opt-out form.
(g) As used in this section, the following words and phrases
shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection:
"Department." The Department of Education of the
Commonwealth.
"Office of Attorney General." The Office of Attorney General
of the Commonwealth.
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Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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