Assemblymember Bauer Kehan’s AB 302 advances to require non-social-media notices for school activities

Assemblymember Bauer Kehan presented AB 302 to the California State Assembly Education Committee and asked members to concur in Senate amendments. The bill would require school districts to provide at least one alternate channel for distributing information about sports programs and after-school activities in addition to posting on platforms the bill calls 'addictive feeds.' "At that high school, the only way to receive information on sports programs and after school activities is through social media," Bauer Kehan said, describing a student who lost access to leadership participation because she was not on social platforms.

Supporters said the measure is aimed at students and families who opt out of social media or whose guardians restrict access. Assemblymember Hoover told the committee she finds it "incredibly frustrating when the only information is provided on things like Instagram or some other platform that some kids might not even be on," and said she looked forward to supporting the bill. The chair, speaking from parental experience, described efforts to secure alternatives in local schools and urged colleagues to back the measure to prevent exclusion from extracurricular participation.

The committee moved to concur in the Senate amendments and recorded votes in favor. The chair announced the measure was reported out of committee; the roll call later was completed with the final tallies reported as unanimous in favor. The committee left the roll open for add-on votes and confirmed the measure as "out" at the end of the hearing.

The committee did not take public witnesses in the hearing room for AB 302; the chair noted the committee’s website allows submission of position letters. The bill text allows districts to continue using social platforms but requires at least one alternative channel such as email or a non-addictive messaging app.