22-87-102. Legislative declaration

22-87-102. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly hereby finds and declares that:

(a) Use of the internet in the public schools of the state provides an extraordinary, unique, and unparalleled educational resource;

(b) Reasonable measures must be adopted and implemented to protect the children who use internet services in public schools from access to material that is harmful to their beneficial development as responsible adults and citizens.

(2) It is the intent of the general assembly by enacting this article that public schools be required to adopt and enforce reasonable policies of internet safety that will protect children from access to harmful material without compromising either the use of the internet as an educational resource or responsible adult use of internet services in such schools.

(3) The general assembly favors the adoption by public libraries across the state of policies for children's internet protection that mirror the policies for public schools required to be adopted pursuant to the provisions of this article. Recognizing that limited state resources as of August 15, 2003, preclude an appropriation to expand the requirements of this article to include public libraries, the general assembly urges public libraries to, and hopes such libraries will, adopt the policies specified in this article on their own initiative.