Texas Speaker of the House Dade Phelan announced Monday the appointments of five members of the Texas House of Representatives to the Joint Committee to Study the Effects of Media on Minors.
Created by House Bill 18 during the 88th Regular Session, the joint legislative committee is tasked with examining the health and developmental effects of exposure to minors of various forms of media, including social media platforms, software applications, mass media, artificial intelligence, mobile devices, computers, video games and virtual and augmented reality.
“This generation of developing young Texans is more regularly exposed to various forms of media than any previous generation in our history,” said Speaker Phelan. “To ensure we are providing young Texans the opportunity to grow and mature in a healthy, supportive environment, it is important we fully understand the effects of this exposure.”
Phelan appointed the following Texas House members to serve on the Joint Committee to Study the Effects of Media on Minors:
• Representative Jared Patterson, Joint Chair
• Representative Lacey Hull
• Representative Ann Johnson
• Representative Eddie Morales
• Representative Shelby Slawson “While advances in media and technology offer many promising opportunities for learning and exploring, we must do our best to safeguard our children against the potentially harmful impacts and unfair trade practices regarding the use of digital media by minors,” Phelan said in a statement.”
According to HB 18, also known as the Securing Children Online through Parental Empowerment (SCOPE) Act, House members appointed by the Speaker will serve alongside members of the Texas Senate appointed by the Lieutenant Governor and confer with subject matter experts on the use of digital services by minors.
