Issue: Consumer Protection

Working the Bill – Tech For Teens

Legislators, while they may have expertise in certain subject matters, do not know all there is to know about every topic, so they want to (and need to) hear and learn from the public. SB 5708, protecting children online, a bill requested by the attorney general, is working its way through the legislative process. Introduced in 2025, it failed to pass through both houses, so it is alive again in this second year of the biennium. Currently, advocates and stakeholders are “working the bill”. Experts have been called in to share their expertise in a work session in the Senate Businesses, Financial Services and Trade Committee. Lobbyists who represent the tech industries have been meeting with legislators on both sides of the aisle. Advocates have been meeting with legislators, testifying in front of committees, and holding rallies to amplify their message. Learn about how people “work the bill” and more about proposed government regulations of social media for minors.

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First Week – Tech For Teens

The first week of the legislative session moves very quickly, especially during a short session. To truly understand the legislative process, it is extremely helpful to follow a bill as it makes its way through both chambers of the legislature. Teach with TVW will follow two different bills for the 2026 session: HB 2225, which proposes to regulate AI Chatbots for minors, and SB 5708, which proposes to regulate personalized feeds for minors. Both of these bills are making their way through the technology committees, one in the House and the other in the Senate. Learn the details of the AI Chatbot bill, what happened at the public hearing, and what is coming up next.

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On The Issues – Q&A

Help students explore real policy questions facing Washington State through timely, issue-based conversations with lawmakers. This series features student-led questions on topics such as health care, transportation, public safety, the environment, education, and economic policy, while highlighting both Democratic and Republican committee leadership perspectives on each issue. Students will learn how legislators analyze complex problems, weigh competing priorities, and consider impacts on communities across the state. Ideal for connecting classroom civics to current debates in Olympia and understanding how policy is shaped through differing viewpoints.

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