Senate approves social-media regulation bill after debate over youth mental-health data

Senators on Wednesday approved a first-substitute version of Senate Bill 152, a measure aimed at regulating certain social-media practices the sponsor said contribute to worsening youth mental health. The chamber passed the bill on a roll-call vote, 23 yeas to 4 nays, with two senators absent.

Sponsor Senator McCall told colleagues the bill is intended as a prevention measure after he said recent federal data show increases in mental-health problems among high-school students. "This was a survey done with 17,232 students in grades 9 through 12 in all 50 states," McCall said during floor remarks, reading highlights he said were in a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. He urged colleagues to "take action" and said social media "has been a factor" in rising rates of persistent sadness, poor mental health and suicidal ideation.

The debate focused on the scale and distribution of those harms. Senator Riebe pressed the sponsor to explain how the bill would also benefit male students, saying the discussion so far emphasized girls. "Can you share with me any kind of information about how this is going to positively impact the boys in our school as well as, quote unquote, protect our females?" she asked. McCall answered that the same CDC dataset shows substantial impact for males as well — persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness and elevated rates of suicidal consideration and attempts — and cited specific percentages for boys and girls from the study.

Senator Wyler said he reviewed the CDC highlights and found the statistics "alarming," adding, "The statistics don't lie. They speak for themselves." Wyler said the change merited a supporting vote. Several other senators likewise described the topic as bipartisan and urged action; McCall urged the chamber to call the question after a short discussion.

The bill cleared the Senate after the sponsor moved to pass the first substitute. The Senate clerk announced the result as a 23–4 vote in favor; the bill will be sent to the House for further consideration.

Supporters framed SB 152 as a targeted public-health intervention. Opponents expressed concern about scope and effects on free expression and asked for more evidence that the specific regulatory steps in the bill would work for all affected students. The Senate record shows questions and requests for further detail but does not record additional amendments in this floor action.

Next steps: SB 152 now moves to the Utah House of Representatives for consideration; no House action is recorded in the Senate transcript.