Connecticut Passes AI and Youth Social Media Safety Bills, Cell Phone Ban Falters

*TL;DR: Connecticut’s General Assembly approved AI oversight and youth‑focused social‑media rules, but the governor’s proposal to ban cell phones in schools failed to advance.

The state legislature wrapped up its session with a mixed technology agenda. Lawmakers moved forward on two high‑profile bills—one governing artificial intelligence (AI) and another tightening online safety for minors—while a separate effort to prohibit cell‑phone use during school hours stalled.

Senate Bill 5 creates an Artificial Intelligence Policy Office and sets transparency requirements for AI tools, from chatbots to automated hiring decisions. The bill also expands consumer data‑privacy protections, aligning with earlier legislation that tightened rules on personalized pricing, facial‑recognition systems, and license‑plate readers.

In parallel, Senate Bill 86, originally the governor’s AI proposal, merges with House Bill 5037 to form a youth‑social‑media safety package. Attorney General William Tong said the measure will automatically block push notifications on accounts belonging to users under 18 between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m. Parents must give explicit consent to change the default setting.

The same bill obliges platforms to display a pop‑up warning about mental‑health risks the moment a minor opens the app. Critics argue that verifying a user’s age without breaching privacy could be technically difficult, but supporters contend the safeguards address growing concerns over screen time and anxiety among teens.

A separate proposal, Senate Bill No. 4, expands the Connecticut Data Privacy Act, reinforcing rules on data collection and giving regulators broader enforcement powers. The Attorney General’s office has signaled intent to tighten privacy standards after its annual enforcement report.

Governor Ned Lamont now faces a decision: sign the AI and privacy bills into law or veto them. He also must decide on the youth‑social‑media measures, which have bipartisan backing.

The bell‑to‑bell cell‑phone ban, championed by the governor and supported by many legislators, failed to secure a Senate vote. Although the House approved it, the Senate did not schedule debate, leaving districts to rely on guidance issued by the State Board of Education and the Department of Education, which recommends individual policies.

What it means: Connecticut will soon have a formal AI oversight framework and stricter online safety rules for minors, while schools remain free to set their own cell‑phone policies. The next weeks will reveal whether the governor signs the bills and how districts respond to the lack of a statewide phone ban.

*Watch for the governor’s signing decision and any legal challenges to the youth‑social‑media provisions.*