Senate advances bill to tighten vetting of classroom software amid clickstream concerns

Senator Cullimore presented first substitute SB 267, a bill aimed at tightening digital privacy and transparency for software used on school‑issued devices. The sponsor said the measure would "beef up a statewide digital privacy agreement" and require "independent verification that the software using has is educational, academically effective, and then it provides for transparency and accountability."

Senators on the floor raised implementation concerns. One senator who works in digital teaching and learning expressed support for the bill’s safety goals but warned a centralized whitelist maintained by the State Office of Education could be difficult to maintain and might hinder local innovation. The senator asked about the bill’s treatment of "clickstream data," asking what that term covers; the sponsor and colleagues acknowledged the definition needs clarity because clickstream can capture broad user interactions.

The sponsor said the substitute retains a path for local LEAs to vet software and includes provisional use provisions so schools can begin using new tools while they complete vetting. The bill moved through third reading with a roll call recorded as 23 yea, 3 nay and 3 absent.

Next steps: SB 267 advances to the House; sponsors indicated they anticipate additional technical substitutes and stakeholder work to refine definitions and provisional processes.